A Federal High Court in Abuja has restored Omoyele Sowore’s bail at N200 million with strict surety conditions — including a traditional ruler and an FCT property owner — following a tumultuous legal saga that saw his earlier bail revoked, a bench warrant issued, and his subsequent remand at Kuje Correctional Centre.
After a week of courtroom chaos, Omoyele Sowore is finally breathing free air again — but it’ll cost him N200 million and some very specific paperwork.
Justice Muhammad Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja restored the AAC presidential candidate’s bail on Tuesday, setting it at N200 million with two sureties attached to unusually demanding conditions, according to Sahara Reporters.
One surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community. The second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory. Sowore must also deposit his passport with the court registrar pending the case’s determination.
The path to Tuesday’s ruling was anything but smooth. Sowore is standing trial on a five-count cybercrime charge brought by the Department of State Services after he publicly described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.” In December, Justice Umar had granted him bail on self-recognizance, with a strict warning against making statements that could incite the public against the President.
That arrangement collapsed on June 16, when Sowore failed to appear in court for trial continuation. Despite writing to explain a pre-scheduled Lagos engagement and requesting an adjournment, the DSS prosecution team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), dismissed it as a “delay tactic.” The court agreed, revoking his bail and issuing a bench warrant.
Sowore didn’t run. He voluntarily returned to court on June 22, 2026, challenging the warrant and seeking Justice Umar’s recusal from the case entirely. The court rejected the recusal bid and ordered his remand at Kuje Correctional Centre pending a fresh bail hearing.
That hearing finally delivered Tuesday’s outcome — bail restored, but on tougher terms than before.
For Sowore, a man whose career has been defined by repeated clashes with state power, this latest chapter underscores both the precariousness of his legal situation and his persistent refusal to back down.
He’s out. For now, on the state’s strict terms.
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