Chaos broke out in the premises of the Magistrate Court, Kuje, Abuja, on Friday after policemen punched and dragged a human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, into a waiting vehicle, moments after the court granted him bail.
Sowore, along 13 others, had been granted bail by Magistrate Abubakar Sai’id following their arraignment on charges of unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace linked to the recent #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja.
Sources disclosed that police officers, led by CSP Ilyasu Barau of the Federal Capital Territory Command, assaulted Sowore as he resisted attempts to be taken away without explanation.
“They punched and dragged him before forcing him into the van,” a source said.
Lawyers at the scene said police refused to show any remand order but claimed to be acting on a secret directive authorising Sowore’s transfer to Kuje Correctional Centre, despite the bail ruling.
The court had granted the defendants bail of ₦500,000 each, requiring a verified National Identification Number, three-year tax clearance, and submission of their passports.
Sowore was arrested by the police on Thursday at premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja after meeting with Nnamdi Kanu.
