The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated legal proceedings against activist Omoyele Sowore for his controversial comments on social media, in which he referred to Egbetokun as an “illegal IG.”
Sowore now faces three charges under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act of 2015, as amended in 2024. The charges, filed in a suit marked FCH/ABJ/23/25, accuse Sowore of intentionally using his verified Twitter (X) account to spread false statements about the Inspector General of Police, thereby attempting to undermine law and order.
The first charge accuses Sowore of publishing on December 13, 2024, that Egbetokun was an “illegal IGP,” knowing the information was false. The second charge alleges Sowore made threats intending to incite violence against the Nigeria Police Force and damage the IG’s reputation. The third charge stems from Sowore’s December 20, 2024, tweet, which stated: “The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.”
The police argue that Sowore’s statements were designed to cause unrest and disrupt the authority of the police force.
Sowore is scheduled to appear before Justice Liman at the Federal High Court in Abuja today (Wednesday). His legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar, has confirmed that the charges will be addressed in court.
Political activist Deji Adeyanju has criticized the charges, calling them an abuse of legal processes, and has promised a strong defense in court. Sowore was arrested on Monday after he rejected the bail conditions set by the police, including providing a Level 17 civil servant as a guarantor and surrendering his passport. His arrest follows allegations of obstructing public officers and cyberstalking, which stem from his December video accusing police officers of extortion at a Lagos checkpoint.
The charges come amid ongoing tensions between Sowore and the Nigerian government.
