Supporters of human rights activist and former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, have accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of forcefully arresting and injuring him despite a court order directing that he be remanded in a correctional facility.
The allegation followed a ruling by Justice Mohammed Umar, who ordered that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his application seeking a stay of execution of an earlier order that revoked his bail.
The judge also rejected Sowore’s request for his recusal from the case over alleged bias and adjourned proceedings until June 24, 2026.
According to Sowore’s supporters, DSS operatives seized him within the court premises shortly after the ruling and attempted to take him away, allegedly injuring him in the process.
A video broadcast live on Sowore’s Facebook page showed a DSS operative grabbing him by the waist and dragging him away while other operatives blocked his supporters from reaching him.
The incident sparked protests at the Federal High Court complex, with supporters blocking access to the premises. They argued that the court had ordered Sowore to be held in a correctional facility, not in the custody of the DSS or the police.
Speaking to journalists, the AAC chairman in the Federal Capital Territory, Agena Roberts Ande, condemned the action.
“Today we came to court, and as you rightly know, there was an order from the court that Sowore should be provided in court. A bench warrant was
