Human rights activist and publisher of Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore, has arrived at Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja wearing handcuffs.
The court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Mabel Segun-Bello, is expected to hear the bail application by Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow movement and four other activists.
Sowore, who appeared alongside other activists, was seen holding a book as he arrived at the court.
The activist, Juwon Sanyaolu, Peter Williams, Emmanuel Bulus, and Damilare Adenola, were on Monday ordered to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre by a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja pending the consideration of their bail applications on Tuesday (today).
They were arraigned by the Federal Government on three charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and attempting to incite others.
Although, they all pleaded not guilty to the charges, the prosecution alleged that the defendants were arrested on New Year’s eve with placards calling for a violent revolution against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Read Also: Sowore, Others Arrested During ‘Crossover Protest’ In Abuja
Following their arrest during the ‘crossover protest’, they were subsequently taken to a police unit infamously known as ‘Abattoir’ in the Lokogoma area of the FCT.
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent a complaint to United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention over the detention of Sowore, and the four other activists for protesting on New Year Eve protest.
The organisation demanded the release of the detained activists and a probe into their arrest and detention.
SERAP said;
The detention of Omoyele Sowore and four other activists constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of their liberty because it does not have any legal justification. The detention also does not meet minimum international standards of due process.
Watch a video of Sowore in court below;
VIDEO: @YeleSowore brought to court in handcuffs pic.twitter.com/X8SMuYllKe
— TheCable (@thecableng) January 5, 2021
