Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), appeared at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday following a police invitation.
Sowore arrived at the headquarters at 9:45 a.m., accompanied by his lawyer and supporters. The Nigeria Police Force had summoned him over a viral video accusing officers of extortion on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Access Road in Lagos.
The invitation, dated January 23, 2025, was signed by CP Ibitoye Rufus Alajide on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID). It cited allegations of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, reckless acts, and cyberstalking. Sowore was directed to report to Room 212 of the FID Complex by 10 a.m. The letter affirmed the police’s investigative authority and informed Sowore of his right to legal representation.
The video in question, widely circulated on social media, shows Sowore confronting officers accused of extorting motorists and causing traffic. In the footage, officers demanded Sowore park his vehicle, leading to a heated exchange. Despite the officers initially blocking his car, they eventually allowed him to proceed after a standoff. The video also captured one officer muttering, “God punish you,” to which Sowore retorted, “God punish you too.”
Public outrage over the video prompted the police to summon Sowore, reportedly after Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi urged Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to act.
The incident has sparked fresh debates on police accountability and the treatment of activists in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Sowore is scheduled to appear in court on February 4, 2025, over a separate cybercrime case filed by Senator Ned Nwoko, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
