The Federal High Court in Abuja has restored the bail earlier granted to activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore in the cybercrime case instituted against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Muhammed Umar, who presided over proceedings on Tuesday, admitted Sowore to bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum. The court also directed the defendant to surrender his international passport as part of the bail conditions before he can regain his freedom.
Sowore is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime after he described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in a series of social media posts.
The latest ruling follows weeks of legal proceedings that saw the activist’s earlier bail revoked. Justice Umar had initially granted Sowore bail on self-recognition at the commencement of the trial. However, on June 16, the court revoked that bail and issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for the continuation of the case.
Although Sowore had written to the court explaining his absence and requesting an adjournment, the court held that his failure to appear justified the revocation of his bail.
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When the matter resumed on June 22, Justice Umar ordered that the activist be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
The court’s decision sparked a fresh legal battle, with Sowore challenging both the revocation of his bail and the warrant issued for his arrest. His previous legal team had earlier withdrawn from the case, citing what they described as judicial bias. A newly engaged counsel subsequently filed an application asking the court to restore Sowore’s bail and set aside the arrest warrant.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Umar ruled that the defendant should be readmitted to bail but imposed fresh conditions for his release. Besides the N200 million bail bond, the judge directed that Sowore must provide two responsible sureties in the same amount and deposit his international passport with the court.
In the application seeking the restoration of his bail, Sowore argued that the court’s earlier orders were unjustified and violated his constitutional rights. He relied on Sections 35(4), 36(1), and 66 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Sections 169 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, to support his request.
The activist maintained that his absence from the previous hearing was communicated to the court through a formal letter and should not have resulted in the cancellation of his bail or his subsequent detention.
Sowore was arraigned before the Federal High Court on December 2, 2025, after pleading not guilty to the charges contained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025.
According to the DSS, the charges were brought under Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The prosecution alleged that Sowore’s social media posts, published on August 25, 2025, constituted cyberstalking and other offences under the amended law. The posts were made in reaction to President Tinubu’s remarks during a visit to Brazil, where the President reportedly stated that his administration had ended corruption in Nigeria.
In response, Sowore allegedly described the President as a “criminal” through posts published on his verified social media accounts.
The DSS further claimed that it wrote to social media companies X Inc., formerly known as Twitter, and Meta Platforms Inc., requesting the removal of the posts and the suspension of Sowore’s accounts. The agency also directed Sowore to delete the posts across all platforms.
According to the prosecution, the activist failed to comply with those directives, prompting the filing of the criminal charges against him.
The case has continued to attract significant public attention because of its implications for freedom of expression, the enforcement of Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, and the balance between national security concerns and citizens’ constitutional rights.
The matter was adjourned for the continuation of trial, while Sowore is expected to fulfil the court’s bail conditions before he can be released from custody.
