BREAKING: Nigerian Police Spring Claim Of Three Fresh Petitions On Sowore After Botched Media Visit

A press visit earlier organised by the Nigeria Police Force to show that detained activist Omoyele Sowore was being “well treated” ended in chaos on Friday.

The Commissioner of Police, who led journalists and activists to see Sowore, abruptly ordered them out after the activist used the opportunity to call for the immediate removal of the “illegal” Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, rather than “wasting the media’s time.”

Following the media fiasco, the IGP Monitoring Team returned to the detention facility with a police cameraman, claiming to have received three fresh petitions against Sowore. 

SaharaReporters gathered that the development occurred in the presence of Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, and that both men rejected the fresh allegations before the police team departed.

“After the media fiasco, the IGP Monitoring Team returned with a police cameraman claiming they have three fresh petitions against Sowore,” a police source said.

“He and his lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, rejected it, and they left.”

The police had earlier alleged that there were two petitions against the detained activist. One originated from the office of the IGP, Egbetokun. The other was reportedly filed by a female police officer who, insiders told SaharaReporters, had enjoyed unusually rapid promotions within the Force — a rise they attributed to her close relationship with the IGP.

Media Visit Backfires 

The police had intended the visit to counter allegations of assault and poor treatment, but the encounter instead turned into a confrontation, further fueling calls for Sowore’s release.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, also demanded his release from police detention when police authorities on Friday took members of the media to visit him in what has been seen as a desperate bid to douse growing tensions over his continued detention.

With a bandage on his hand and speaking in a defiant tone, Sowore blasted the Nigerian police and the Tinubu-led administration over what he termed a "shameful show."

He said, "I have been expecting this from the Nigerian police, and I am not surprised about this show of shame – all in a bid to paint an okay picture of what is going on.

"I was attacked by men of the Nigerian police, and they broke my hand. Instead of bringing a doctor, they went and brought a nurse. Now, instead of bringing a doctor, they went and brought the media.

"The police know what to do. They should release me and offer an apology over how they have treated me, but they are instead ashamed.”

"I am disappointed in the President, Tinubu, that they have reduced the country to all this form of show of shame," he told media personnel and police officers present.

Sowore’s Detention Attracts Global Attention 

Sowore's detention has received global attention, with condemnations from various quarters accusing the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of using his office for personal vendetta on Sowore over his activism against police mismanagement and abuse of office.

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that Sowore was secretly moved from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, where he was held on Wednesday following an official invitation.

Sowore had accused the police of intimidation and abuse of power after being detained on Wednesday evening.

However, a source informed SaharaReporters on Thursday morning that the activist was covertly taken from the FID premises around 6 a.m. and moved to an undisclosed location.

"His location is unknown; a CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) who works with Muyiwa Adejobi (Force spokesperson) came this morning and forcefully took him away from the FID office, where he was yesterday, after breaking his hand,” a source said.

“His hand is currently broken because when the officer came this morning, he was ready to take him out of the cell without his clothes, but Sowore had to resist and said he wasn’t going to go out of the place without wearing his clothes."

Protests are already being held across the country, with different groups such as the Ohanaeze Youth Council, the National Association of Nigerian Students, and others issuing ultimatums to the police to release Sowore.

Police authorities have been struggling to contain the surge of anger caused by the detention, deploying various panic tactics to quell the tension.