Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that he spent four days at the Kuje Correctional Centre in October 2025 following his arrest and prosecution over his involvement in the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
Sowore, in a statement, claimed that he was charged by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, whom he described as “illegal,” over his role in organising the protest calling for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“I spent four days at Kuje Prison in October 2025 after I was arrested and charged… for leading the historic #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest,” Sowore said.
He noted that he was not initially among those arrested during the protest, stating that police operatives first detained Kanu’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, his brother, Prince Kanu, a priest, and several others who participated in the demonstration.
“I was not initially arrested when police swooped on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer… and several others who had peacefully honoured the call for the protest. In fact, after their arrest, I even visited them at the FCT Police Command in an effort to secure their bail,” he said.
Sowore further alleged that his arrest followed a Sahara Reporters publication involving a cleric, Pastor Jerry Uchechukwu Eze, and the IGP. He claimed the publication reportedly exposed a photograph involving the cleric, Egbetokun, and some police officers allegedly linked to a promotion scandal.
He also accused a police officer, CSP Ilyasu Barau, of attempting to pressure him into ceasing criticism of the IGP while he was being taken into detention.
“As I was being led into detention… he repeatedly swore that if I stopped calling Egbetokun an ‘illegal IGP’ and stopped exposing his questionable relationships… the ‘war’ would end immediately,” Sowore alleged, adding that his lawyer, Tope Temokun, witnessed the incident.
The activist further claimed that despite being granted bail by a Magistrate, he was forcefully remanded in custody.
“After a Magistrate granted us bail… CSP Barau physically attacked me to forcefully remand me in custody… within the court premises in Kuje,” he alleged.
While recounting his time at the correctional facility, Sowore claimed he met an inmate identified as Jesam Michael, whom he described as being involved in a large-scale Ponzi scheme.
According to Sowore, Michael allegedly claimed to have received support from senior police officers and operated from an office within the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters.
“Jesam claimed that IGP Egbetokun personally provided him with an office inside the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, where he operated freely,” Sowore said.
He further alleged that Michael told him he had access to police personnel who allegedly arrested victims of the alleged fraud and charged them with cyberstalking when they demanded refunds.
“According to him, he ‘served’ and supported police officers and had an entire police unit at his beck and call,” Sowore added.
Sowore also alleged that the inmate claimed that some of his properties were shared among senior police officers and that a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Dasuki Galandanchi, allegedly received ₦250 million to suppress complaints from victims. He did not provide evidence to support the allegations.
He further alleged that Michael claimed to have had a personal relationship with a female police officer assigned to investigate his case, which he said contributed to his eventual arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The only reason Jesam is in Kuje prison was because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission took over his case,” Sowore said.
Sowore maintained that his experience reflects what he described as systemic corruption within the police force, adding, “Nigeria does not technically have an Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force… What we have instead is a mercenary, an enforcer serving the corrupt, the deadly, and the cruel political, business, and criminal class.”
He also referenced a photograph allegedly showing the IGP with a figure described as the “Prince of Dubai,” who has been accused of involvement in an international fraud case.
Efforts to obtain official responses from the Nigeria Police Force regarding the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
