Group Questions Sowore’s N200Million Bail, Says Corruption Suspects Receive
The Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN) has condemned the bail conditions imposed on African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, describing them as excessive, punitive and a calculated attempt to keep him in detention despite being granted bail.
In a statement issued by its National Secretary, Iortyom Moses, the group criticised the ruling of Justice Muhammad Umar in the case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) against Sowore over his statement calling Tinubu “a criminal.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday restored Sowore’s bail, granting him bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties.
Justice Mohammed Umar, who presided over the case, ordered that Sowore must produce two sureties before he can enjoy the bail.
According to the conditions set by the court, one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the second surety must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The court also ordered Sowore to deposit his passport with the court registrar as part of the bail conditions pending the determination of the case.
WYSN described the conditions as unreasonable and inconsistent with the constitutional principle that bail should not amount to punishment before conviction.
The group noted that while the court released Sowore into the custody of his lawyers to enable him to perfect the bail conditions before the next adjourned date, the stringent terms appeared deliberately designed to frustrate his release.
“WYSN believes that the bail conditions are inconsistent with the constitutional principle that bail should not be used as punishment before conviction.
“The conditions appear designed to frustrate his release and continue the political persecution that he has endured over the years,” Moses stated.
The group further alleged that the DSS prosecution of Sowore was politically motivated and intended to silence one of Nigeria’s most outspoken critics of corruption, authoritarianism, and poor governance.
According to WYSN, the continued deployment of state institutions against critics reflects a growing threat to democratic freedoms and freedom of expression in the country.
WYSN also accused the judiciary of increasingly being used to intimidate government critics while alleging that some politicians accused of looting public funds had been granted less stringent bail conditions despite the gravity of the allegations against them.
“The continued persecution of Omoyele Sowore is an attack on democratic rights and freedom of expression,” WYSN added.
The group called for an immediate review of the N200 million bail conditions, insisting they should be replaced with reasonable terms.
It also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the DSS case against Sowore over the “Tinubu is a criminal” allegation.
WYSN urged workers, youths, trade unions, civil society organisations, students, and other pro-democracy groups to resist what it described as a miscarriage of justice and intensify campaigns for the protection of democratic rights.
“The struggle for justice, democracy, and freedom must continue until all politically motivated prosecutions are brought to an end,” the group stressed.
