The Federal High Court in Abuja has reinstated the bail of African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, granting him bail in the sum of N200 million.
Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice Muhammad Umar ordered Sowore to provide two sureties before he can benefit from the bail conditions. The Court specified that one surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the other must be a property owner within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
As an additional condition, the activist was directed to surrender his International Passport to the Court registrar pending the conclusion of the trial.
Sowore is currently facing a five-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime-related offences. The case stems from remarks in which he reportedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
Recall that in December, Justice Umar had granted Sowore bail on self-recognizance following his arraignment. At the time, the Court warned him against making statements that could incite the public against the President.
However, the Court revoked the bail on June 16 after Sowore failed to appear for the continuation of his trial. Justice Umar subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest after both the defendant and his legal team were absent from the proceedings.
Prior to the hearing, Sowore had written to the Court, informing it of a pre-arranged engagement in Lagos and requesting an adjournment. The prosecution, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Akinlolu Kehinde, opposed the request, arguing that the absence was a deliberate attempt to delay the trial. The Court agreed and granted the prosecution’s oral application to revoke the bail.
Following the issuance of the warrant, Sowore returned to Court voluntarily on June 22, 2026, seeking to overturn the order and requesting that Justice Umar withdraw from the case. The Court dismissed the recusal application and ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre while his fresh bail request was considered.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Justice Umar approved Sowore’s fresh bail application and restored his bail, subject to compliance with the newly imposed conditions.