Tension erupted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday as heavily armed operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, took African Action Congress, AAC, presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, into custody following a court ordered remand.
The incident occurred shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar directed that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre until Wednesday.
Video footage from inside the courtroom showed fully armed DSS operatives surrounding and taking control of the activist as proceedings ended, triggering panic among supporters and observers present in court.
The development followed the court’s decision to revoke Sowore’s bail, a ruling linked to allegations by the DSS concerning public statements in which Sowore allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.
Earlier during proceedings, Justice Umar dismissed an application filed by Sowore seeking the judge’s recusal from the case.
The defense argued that the single court absence cited as grounds for bail revocation occurred because Sowore was consulting with his new lead counsel, Olumide Fusika, SAN, who had formally informed the court of the situation.
The case has continued to draw public attention, with legal observers closely monitoring developments surrounding the activist’s prosecution and detention.
