Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honour police invitation.
Sowore arrived the police headquarters around 9.45 am on Monday, with his lawyer and some supporters.
The Nigeria Police Force had summoned Sowore for questioning following a viral video he recorded, highlighting alleged extortion by police officers on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Access Road in Lagos.
The invitation, dated January 23, 2025, was signed by CP Ibitoye Rufus Alajide on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID).
The invitation letter read, “This office is investigating case of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful order, acts intended to cause grievous harm or prevent arrest, compelling action by intimidation, reckless & negligent acts, refusal to assist public servant and cyberstalking in which your name featured, prominently,” the letter reads.
According to the letter, Sowore was directed to report to Room 212 of the FID Complex, opposite Force Headquarters in Abuja, at 10 a.m. The letter emphasized that the invitation was within the police’s constitutional investigative powers, and Sowore was informed of his right to bring legal representation.
The video at the center of the controversy, shared widely on social media, shows Sowore confronting officers stationed at a checkpoint on the airport road. In the footage, the officers were accused of extorting motorists and causing traffic.
When Sowore’s vehicle approached, the officers demanded he park, leading to an exchange.
Operation Resist @PoliceNG extortion on Nigerian highways! #RevolutionNow pic.twitter.com/pRk05wby1Y
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) January 9, 2025
“You are not supposed to be causing traffic on the airport road. We are not parking. Go and bring your Oga. You people should calm down,” Sowore can be heard saying in the video. Despite his insistence, the officers initially blocked his car, creating a standoff. Eventually, one officer instructed his colleagues to allow Sowore to proceed, but not before another officer muttered, “God punish you.” Sowore immediately retorted, “God punish you too,” before driving off.
The video sparked public outrage, leading the police hierarchy to launch a manhunt for Sowore. Reports revealed that the action was prompted by persistent appeals from Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to take action against Sowore for allegedly obstructing the officers.
The summons comes amid another legal battle for Sowore. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 4, 2025, in a cybercrime case initiated by Senator Ned Nwoko, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The incident has reignited public debates about police accountability and the harassment of activists in Nigeria.