Police summon Sowore over forgery, inciting disturbance allegations

The Nigeria Police Force has summoned human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, for questioning over allegations of forgery and inciting public disturbance.

According to a police invitation letter dated August 1, Sowore is expected to appear at the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, August 4, 2025, by 10 a.m.

The letter, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akin Fakorede and shared by Sowore on Facebook, said the invitation relates to a case reported on July 31. It cited Section 53(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2025, as the legal basis for the summons.

This development comes less than two weeks after Sowore’s involvement in a protest by retired police officers at the Force Headquarters on July 21. The demonstration was organized to demand improved retirement and pension benefits. Sowore has been mobilizing for a follow-up protest later this month.

Sowore has also accused a police officer of stealing his Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses during the July 21 protest. He shared video footage allegedly showing the moment the glasses were snatched, naming Aku Victor Chiemere, a cameraman reportedly attached to the office of the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, as the suspect.

Sowore claimed he filed a petition at the Asokoro police division after an earlier report to the Force CID was redirected. “We know it is a game!” he said in a social media post.

The police have not responded publicly to the theft allegation.

A fierce critic of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Sowore has consistently referred to him as “Illegal IGP” in protest against the extension of his tenure beyond the statutory retirement age of 60 in 2024. This criticism led to a 17-count cybercrime charge filed against him by the police in January 2025.

President Bola Tinubu had approved the controversial extension following an amendment to the Nigeria Police Act, allowing Egbetokun to remain in office for up to four years.

Reacting to the recent police invitation, Sowore accused the IGP of targeting him for his activism.

“He can’t stand the heat anymore,” Sowore wrote on social media. “So he’s embarked again on another voyage… I will be there on Monday, and I invite all comrades in the revolutionary struggle to join me. #EgbetokunMustGo.”