In a recent interview on Channels TV from 25:03, human rights lawyer Timitope Temokun accused the police of carrying out a coordinated and premeditated assault on activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, describing the re-arrest as an act designed to humiliate and silence him.
Temokun, who witnessed the chaotic scene outside the Abuja Magistrate Court, said the operation was not a spontaneous response but a calculated attempt to break Sowore’s spirit and send a message to others. “They planned to harm him; the plan was to dehumanize him and make sure he was punished,” Temokun said, expressing outrage at the level of brutality displayed by security operatives.
According to the lawyer, Sowore had already been granted bail by the court, and the conditions were being finalized when a team of armed officers stormed the court premises. “The atmosphere was tense,” he recalled. “There were barricades, armed men, and patrol vehicles positioned in strategic corners. It was clear that what happened next was pre-arranged.”
Temokun narrated how the officers attacked people within the court premises, including lawyers and journalists who tried to record the incident. “They brutalized anyone holding a phone. Even a food vendor’s stall was destroyed,” he said. “This was not just an arrest—it was a show of force meant to intimidate everyone present.”
He insisted that Sowore’s re-arrest was a direct violation of judicial authority and an affront to the rule of law. “Once the court grants bail, the police have no power to interfere. Their action amounted to contempt of court and a total disregard for our legal system,” he explained.
Temokun also disclosed that after being taken away, Sowore was unlawfully detained without proper documentation and later transferred to the Kuje Correctional Centre. He maintained that the entire process—from the arrest to the detention—was illegal.
“This was not about law enforcement; it was about punishment,” Temokun said. “The goal was to dehumanize him and send a chilling message to those who dare to speak against oppression.”
He called on Nigerians to rise in defense of justice, warning that allowing such abuses to go unchecked would embolden those in power to continue violating citizens’ rights. “What happened to Sowore should concern every Nigerian,” he said. “Today it is him, tomorrow it could be anyone who dares to challenge injustice.”
Despite the ordeal, Temokun affirmed that Sowore remained defiant and in good spirit. “They can attack his body, but they cannot destroy his conviction,” he said firmly. “Sowore’s courage continues to inspire hope that truth and justice will eventually prevail.”
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