Activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, was allegedly assaulted and re-arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force shortly after being granted bail by a Kuje Magistrate Court on Friday.
Eyewitnesses told reporters that Sowore was dragged into a waiting police vehicle outside the court premises moments after the magistrate approved bail for him and 13 others.
According to reports, the arrest was led by CSP Ilyasu Barau, the Investigating Police Officer and Officer in Charge of Anti-Vice under the DC-CID, FCT Command.
The officers allegedly attacked Sowore, punched him, and forced him into a police van as his legal team worked to perfect his bail conditions.
“The IPO punched him, dragged him on the ground, and forced him into the van. They really manhandled him,” an eyewitness said.
Another witness claimed that when bystanders demanded to see the alleged remand order, the police refused to show any document, insisting that Sowore was being taken away under a “secret remand order.”
“The police took Sowore away to Kuje Prison despite his bail,” the source added.
Earlier in the day, Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id had granted bail to Sowore and 13 others arrested during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
Among those granted bail were Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, lawyer to the detained IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as well as Prince Emmanuel Kanu and 11 others.
The defendants were arraigned on charges bordering on unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace.
