A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has revoked the bail of Omoyele Sowore, the human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC). Alongside the revocation, the court ordered the issuance of a bench warrant against him, marking a sharp escalation in his long-running court case.
The decision, taken by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, followed Sowore's failure to appear before the court for a scheduled proceeding. With the defendant absent from the resumed hearing, the judge moved to withdraw the bail that had allowed him to remain free during the trial.
The push for the revocation came from the prosecution. Counsel to the prosecution, Kennedy Akilolu, told the court that Sowore was absent despite being aware of the day's hearing, and prayed the court to revoke his bail, pointing to what he described as a continuous move by the defendant to delay his trial.
In ruling, the judge took note of a letter that Sowore had sent seeking an adjournment of the case. However, Justice Umar observed that the defendant did not state any reason for the requested adjournment in that letter, a point that weighed against him as the court considered the prosecution's application.
The matter forms part of the trial in which Sowore faces charges linked to his public criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a case that has been closely followed given his profile as an activist and opposition figure. The proceedings have repeatedly drawn attention amid disputes over their conduct and timing.
Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case to 22 June. The next date is expected to deal with the outstanding applications in the matter, even as the bench warrant leaves Sowore liable to be brought before the court.
The revocation of bail and the issuance of a bench warrant against a sitting opposition presidential candidate is likely to intensify the political and legal controversy around the case. With the trial now set to resume later in the month, attention turns to how the activist and his legal team will respond to the latest turn in the proceedings.