The Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday deployed a large number of heavily armed security operatives to the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the trial of presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, with journalists stating they were prevented from accessing the courtroom despite arriving to cover the proceedings.
Sowore, who is facing charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over a comment in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as “a criminal,” was reportedly brought to the court premises as early as 6am, according to journalists present at the venue.
Justice Mohammed Umar had previously ordered Sowore’s remand in connection with the case instituted by the DSS.
Journalists at the court told SaharaReporters that an unusually heavy security presence had taken over the court complex, with armed personnel from the DSS and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) stationed around the courtroom, preventing members of the media from carrying out their constitutional duty of reporting the proceedings.
One of the journalists at the court told SaharaReporters: “As I am chatting with you now, a few of us journalists are just standing by the foyer.”
The journalist added that security officials informed members of the press that they would only be allowed into the court premises later in the morning.
“They said they will allow us to enter by 9am.”
Despite the assurance, journalists said they were still being denied access to the courtroom as of the time of filing this report.
“We are not allowed to enter the courtroom. DSS and prison officers blocked the courtroom. The security is heavy, and they are preventing journalists from entering. Maybe they will still allow them before the court sits.”
The development has raised fresh concerns over transparency in the trial and the restriction of media access to judicial proceedings involving a prominent government critic.
Sowore, a presidential candidate and publisher, is being prosecuted by the DSS over remarks allegedly referring to President Tinubu as “a criminal.”
His trial has continued to attract significant public attention, with rights advocates and civil society groups closely monitoring the proceedings.
SaharaReporters reported on Friday that fresh facts showed that the Tinubu-led presidency backed the detention of Sowore, in a highly infectious cell block at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja.
Top sources had informed SaharaReporters on Saturday that the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, received commendations from President Tinubu’s office on Sowore’s detention with the infected inmates.
According to the sources, officials within the presidency praised the security chiefs for “doing the needful” by keeping the vocal activist in Custody Block 4 — a section of the facility heavily populated by inmates battling active tuberculosis (TB) infections.
“Two of the TB patients have died and a third is battling with his life while 37 others are undergoing treatment in the last three months but several of them have stopped treatment since Sowore came to the Kuje correctional centre,” one of the sources revealed.
“They are starved of medicine by the order of the prison authorities in Abuja in connivance with the DG DSS and the Controller-General of prison whose tenure had already expired.
“The inmates could be heard coughing all night in the crowded prison block where the sewage had also been left overflowing since Sowore arrived,” another top source revealed.
SaharaReporters had on Friday reported that Sowore came under fresh health concerns following his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, where reports indicate he was being held under conditions that had drawn renewed attention to healthcare and disease management within the facility.
Sowore was remanded to the Kuje Correctional Centre on June 22, 2026, by the Federal High Court in Abuja following proceedings before Justice Mohammed Umar, pending the hearing of his bail application.
(SaharaReporters)