Sahara Reporters Publisher, Sowore, Four Others Brutalised, Arraigned In Abuja Over Alleged Public Disturbance

The publisher of popular online news platform, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore was arraigned with four others before a Magistrate’s Court in Wuse zone 2, Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Sowore,Juwon Sanyaolu, Damilare Adenola, Peter and Kimrere were by the the Special Weapons Tactical Team of NPF in Abuja over their alleged participation in a protest march on the eve of the New Year celebration.

They were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and public disturbance.

The prosecution, however, alleged that the defendants were arrested on New Year eve with placards calling for a violent revolution against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sowore was arrested for leading a protest against bad governance at Gudu junction in Abuja during a protest tagged #CrossoverWithProtest on December 31, 2020.

According to the Guardian, he was reportedly brutalised before being forcefully dragged into one of the seven vehicles mobilised to the protest ground by police.

Sowore has since been detained alongside others at Abattoir police station in Lokogoma, Abuja.

This is not the first time Sowore will be arrested. He was detained for over 124 days in 2019 for calling for a #RevolutionNowProtest.

Sowore was charged on offences of treasonable felony, money laundering, terrorism and plots to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.