BREAKING: Sowore Pleads Not Guilty To Cybercrime Charges Levelled Against Him By Nigerian Police Chief, Egbetokun

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the cybercrime charges filed against him by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Sowore is standing trial before Justice Liman for calling Egbetokun an 'Illegal IGP' on his verified X handle entered the dock at about 10:00 am while the charges were read to him.

The police had muddled up the charges with many grammatical and spelling errors that were discovered before the commencement of the proceedings.

The activist at the end of each count told the court that he was not guilty.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that a group of activists and civil society organizations on Wednesday besieged the court to protest against the arrest and cybercrime charges filed against Sowore.

BREAKING: Protesters Storm Abuja Court As Police Arraign @YeleSowore For Calling Egbetokun 'Illegal IGP' | Sahara Reporters https://t.co/TGnVT7A3yT pic.twitter.com/Z3sh2xOH6m

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) January 29, 2025

The protesters who gathered in front of the court sang anti-government songs and demanded the immediate release of the activist, insisting that Sowore had not committed any offence for exposing the rot in the police.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: #FreeSoworeNow; #FreeAdaramolaNowAnd10Others Now; #EndPoliceBrutality; #SackTheIGPNowForUnlawfulDetention.

The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Afam Usigwe and Senator Shehu Sani and others were in court in solidarity with the activist.