Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sparked controversy over his bail conditions for human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.
Liman had initially stated in open court that Sowore could meet the N10 million bail requirement with proper documentation from anyone in the Federal Capital Territory.
However, he later added a clause requiring Sowore to provide a surety with a landed property and Certificate of Occupancy, which was not disclosed in the initial ruling.
This compelled Sowore’s legal team, who were working on perfecting the bail, to approach the judge through his registrars to rectify the errors. However, the judge declined, claiming that he included the clause because he later realised after his ruling that there was a mistake.
SaharaReporters has been informed by court officials familiar with the process that the newly introduced but unannounced bail condition is apparently going to make perfecting the bail impossible within the 24-hour window granted by the judge.
Sowore had previously refused the police bail conditions, which required him to provide a level 17 civil servant as his guarantor. Instead, he chose to remain in detention until he was charged on Wednesday morning.
Also, in a post on X account on Thursday, Sowore said his passport was being targeted by the system, adding that they would not have it.
He said, “They granted the ‘bail,’ but I am not going to be bailed out by a corrupt civil servant at level 17 or 16, they got the memo and took the condition off their table. Even, then they still targeted my international passport but that too they will never have! #RevolutionNow.”
They granted the “bail,” but I am not going to be bailed out by a corrupt civil servant at level 17 or 16, they got the memo and took the condition off their table. Even, then they still targeted my international passport but that too they will never have! #RevolutionNow pic.twitter.com/sDWYC0XQsC
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) January 30, 2025
On Monday, Sowore was detained at the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) office at Old Abattoir by Guzape Junction, Abuja, following his refusal to accept the bail conditions set by the police.
The former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) described the bail conditions as “illegal”.
Sowore had honoured an invitation by the police over his exposé on officers allegedly extorting motorists along Ikeja, Lagos State.
However, he rejected their bail terms twice.
First, Sowore rejected the initial bail conditions granted to him by the police – which asked him to present a level 17 Permanent Secretary – describing it as a joke.
Later, the police revised the conditions downward to include producing a level 16 civil servant as a surety and surrendering his passport.
He again rejected the condition, saying, “I refuse to participate in any arrangement that undermines my personal integrity.”
His legal counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), backed his stance, citing a Court of Appeal ruling in Dasuki v. Director-General.
Falana stated that such conditions had previously been declared illegal.