Human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, made a bold appearance at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters on Wednesday, arriving with a travel bag and a defiant crowd of supporters as he responded to a contentious invitation from the IGP’s Monitoring Unit.
Sowore, who reached the facility at 12:16 p.m., came prepared — not just with his lawyers, Barristers A.K. Musa and Marshal Abubakar, but also with a packed bag containing essentials like toiletries, clothes, books, and other personal items, signalling his readiness for possible detention.
The move triggered immediate tension outside the headquarters, as members of the Take It Back Movement, #NUDE NIGERIA, and other activist groups launched a protest.
They issued a two-hour ultimatum to the police, demanding Sowore’s release or threatening mass resistance.
“If they refuse to release Sowore, then they must arrest us with him,” declared Princess Mikky, leader of #NUDE NIGERIA. “We are not leaving here.”
Rex Elanu, a leading voice in the Take It Back Movement, accused the police of persecuting Sowore for his outspoken criticism of the government. “This is a vendetta by the IGP. It’s shameful and politically motivated,” he said, adding that Nigerians must stand up against injustice.
READ ALSO: Tension Rises as Sowore Storms Police Station with Full House
Sowore had previously dismissed the police invitation as “defective,” questioning both the legality of the notice and the ambiguity of the original charge — “inciting disturbance,” a term not grounded in Nigerian law.
The allegation was later revised to “forgery and criminal defamation,” though police have yet to name the petitioner or provide any supporting legal documents.
Rights advocates say the situation is part of a broader trend of harassment against dissenting voices and warn that such actions erode public trust in law enforcement and the justice system.
The protest outside the Force Headquarters was ongoing at press time.