A chaotic standoff erupted outside the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday morning, June 24, 2026, after heavily armed operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) were accused of blocking legal representatives and key associates of activist Omoyele Sowore from accessing the courtroom.
The explosive confrontation escalated rapidly when the National Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Oshiok Philip, vocally confronted the secret police. Philip fiercely accused the DSS of unconstitutional conduct after they heavily restricted movement and barred a key member of Sowore’s defense team from entering the premises ahead of the morning session. Arguing directly with the armed operatives, Philip stated that the courtroom remains a public space under the Nigerian Constitution and warned that blocking legal counsel severely undermines democratic norms.
Inside the High-Stakes Legal Battle
This courtroom drama follows a highly contentious week in the ongoing cybercrime trial brought against the former AAC presidential candidate by the DSS. The federal government is prosecuting the activist over social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook where he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
SOWORE LEGAL TIMELINE (JUNE 2026)
├── June 16: Justice Umar Revokes Bail & Issues Bench Warrant
├── June 22: Judge Dismisses Recusal Application; Sowore Remanded
└── June 24: DSS Blocks Defense Team; Standoff Erupts in Abuja
The legal battle reached a boiling point on June 16, 2026, when Justice Mohammed Umar officially revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after the activist failed to appear in court. Though Sowore had previously written to the court registry explaining he was present the day before but was told the court would not sit, the prosecution fiercely opposed any adjournment, leading the judge to revoke his bail.
In response, Sowore filed an application asking Justice Umar to recuse himself from the trial, citing alleged institutional bias. However, during Monday’s heated court session, the judge dismissed the application and ordered that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre. He remains detained pending the hearing and determination of a new motion filed by his legal team, which seeks to stay the execution of the bail revocation and the bench warrant.
