Nigeria security rearrests bailed leader of 'Revolution Now' protest

A Nigerian activist, publisher and politician who was released on bail on Thursday had to be smuggled out of the court when he reappeared for a hearing.

Omoyele Sowore and another detainee were released after a High Court gave explicit orders to the state spy agency, the Department of State Services to execute a bail order.

Previously, the DSS had flouted court orders for his release. On Friday (December 6), he was smuggled out of the courts by his lawyer Femi Falana after the DSS attempted to rearrest him.

Sowore, who ran for president as an independent candidate in the 2018 election won by President Muhammadu Buhari, was arrested in August for calling for a revolution.

In September, he pleaded not guilty to charges of treason, money laundering and harassing the president.

He was granted bail on October 4 but has not been released by the Department for State Security which claimed the bail conditions had not been met.

Last month Sowore’s supporters accused the security agency of opening fire on unarmed people staging a peaceful protest calling for his release.

His continued detention has led to criticism of Buhari’s administration amid claims that human rights have been flouted in this case and those of other high profile figures such as the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria detained since 2015 without trial.