Tensions flared at Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja on October 27, 2025, as armed police officers fired teargas and barricaded the entrance, preventing journalists, lawyers, and supporters from entering the premises ahead of Omoyele Sowore’s appearance. The chaos, captured in viral videos, showed thick clouds of gas dispersing crowds and security personnel pushing bystanders — a dramatic reflection of Nigeria’s shrinking space for dissent.
Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a 2019 presidential candidate, faces new criminal defamation charges linked to comments made during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protests. He was arrested alongside Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and lawyer, in what rights activists call an attempt to silence critics of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Police officials defended the blockade as a “preventive measure” to curb unrest. However, witnesses described it as an act of intimidation, reminiscent of the #EndSARS anniversary clampdown. Videos from the scene showed lawyers climbing fences to gain access while journalists coughed through lingering teargas.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, condemned the incident, calling it “state-sponsored suppression” that undermines press freedom and judicial transparency. “Nigeria cannot claim democracy while courts are militarized,” one Amnesty spokesperson said.
From detention, Sowore reportedly vowed to continue speaking out, declaring through allies, “They can arrest me, but not the truth.”
With hashtags #FreeSowore and #EndPoliceBrutality trending online, the confrontation underscores Nigeria’s fragile balance between state security and civil rights. As Sowore’s hearing continues, all eyes remain on whether justice will be served — or silenced.
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