The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 30, 2026, to rule on an application filed by former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, seeking to set aside the revocation of his bail and the bench warrant issued for his arrest.
Justice Mohammed Umar scheduled the ruling after hearing arguments from Sowore’s counsel, Raphael Adakole, and the legal team representing the Department of State Services (DSS), led by Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Adakole informed the court that the defence had filed a motion on notice dated June 17 and filed on June 19, seeking an order to vacate the June 16 decision that revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a bench warrant following his absence from court.
According to the defence, the application was brought pursuant to relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and the inherent powers of the court. The motion is supported by a 25-paragraph affidavit and seeks a restoration of the status quo that existed before the bail revocation order.
Adakole further told the court that the defence had filed a further affidavit and a reply on points of law in response to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit. He urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice and disregard the prosecution’s opposition.
However, DSS counsel Kehinde strongly opposed the application, relying on a 25-paragraph counter-affidavit and written address filed by the prosecution. He argued that Sowore had failed to place sufficient and truthful facts before the court to warrant the exercise of judicial discretion in his favour.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Umar adjourned the matter until June 30 for ruling.
Following the adjournment, Adakole made an oral application requesting that Sowore be released into his custody pending the ruling. He assured the court that the defendant would be produced on the next adjourned date.
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that such an application could not be validly made orally.
In response, Adakole stated that he was representing senior advocate Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, describing him as “a man of impeccable character whose words should carry weight before the court.”
Justice Umar, however, questioned whether granting the request would amount to deciding the substantive application before the court and declined to entertain it, opting instead to maintain the existing order.
The court had earlier ordered Sowore’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his application challenging the revocation of his bail. The judge also dismissed an application seeking his recusal from the case over allegations of bias.
Sowore’s bail was revoked on June 16 after he failed to appear for trial. The court subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The DSS is prosecuting the activist over allegations that he made false claims against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in posts published on his social media accounts. The case continues as legal arguments intensify over the validity of the court’s bail revocation order.
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