Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has recalled his arrest during the 2025 #PoliceProtest, accusing former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, of orchestrating what he described as a sustained campaign of intimidation against him.
In a post shared on X on Thursday, Sowore marked the anniversary of his arrest, saying he was detained on August 7, 2025, after leading a protest demanding improved welfare and working conditions for serving and retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
“On this day in 2025, the disgraced former illegal Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had me arrested for leading the #PoliceProtest demanding better welfare and improved working conditions for officers of the Nigeria Police Force, especially retired personnel who had been abandoned to hardship,” Sowore wrote.
He alleged that then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akin Fakorede, supervised his arrest, interrogation and detention.
Sowore further claimed that while being held at the Force Intelligence Department (FID), a Chief Superintendent of Police allegedly assaulted him in his cell.
“The following morning, at about 6:00 a.m., a Chief Superintendent of Police was sent into my filthy cell at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) to assault me. During the attack, my arm was nearly broken,” he alleged.
According to the activist, the incident did not deter him, adding that Egbetokun was eventually removed from office.
Turning his attention to DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi, Sowore alleged that the intelligence chief had continued the campaign against him because of his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He claimed Ajayi was behind criminal charges filed against him over comments describing President Tinubu as “a criminal,” and accused the DSS boss of directing prosecutors to seek his remand at Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sowore also alleged that DSS operatives assaulted him at the Federal High Court after the court declined to immediately remand him in prison custody.
The activist further claimed that Ajayi influenced the conditions of his detention by ensuring he was housed alongside tuberculosis patients at Kuje Correctional Centre and pursued the seizure of his international passport through the courts.
He also alleged that his assistant was detained over claims that she possessed a “CJI drone.”
In addition, Sowore accused the DSS Director-General of sponsoring pro-government demonstrations in Abuja and maintaining paid online supporters to defend the agency.
“In my view, Tosin Ajayi has become one of the most insecure Directors-General in the history of the DSS, just as Egbetokun became one of the most insecure Inspectors-General in the history of the Nigeria Police Force,” he stated.
The DSS and the Nigeria Police Force had not publicly responded to Sowore’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report. The claims remain allegations made by the activist and have not been independently verified. #Securitynewsalert.com
