Sowore made the comment during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he was attending his own ongoing case while also reacting to proceedings involving another defendant.
“Can you remove this man’s handcuffs? This country is a very useless country. This man is in court already and he’s still handcuffed. What kind of rubbish is this?” Sowore was quoted as saying.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of Sowore’s ongoing legal battle with the Department of State Services (DSS) over social media posts in which he referred to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Sowore appeared in court as his defence continued in the case brought against him by the DSS.
At the latest hearing, his lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, raised reports that the DSS might seek a lengthy adjournment of the case to allow Sowore to concentrate on his political campaign ahead of the 2027 elections.
DSS counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, however, told the court that he had received no such instruction and was ready for the trial to continue.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar subsequently adjourned the matter until October 2, 2026, for continuation of Sowore’s defence.
The case arose from posts Sowore published on X and Facebook in August 2025 in which he described Tinubu as a “criminal.” The DSS brought charges against him after he declined requests to remove the posts. Sowore has maintained his position and denied wrongdoing.
The latest court appearance comes months after Sowore was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre following the revocation of his bail and the issuance of a bench warrant.
The Federal High Court had ordered his remand pending determination of his application challenging the bail revocation.
The episode also generated controversy after videos circulated showing a confrontation involving Sowore and security operatives at the court. The DSS subsequently ordered an investigation into the conduct of its personnel involved in the incident.
Sowore’s latest outburst focused not on his own case but on the treatment of another person who, according to his remarks, was already before the court while still wearing handcuffs.
His demand that the restraints be removed highlights a broader question about the treatment of defendants appearing before Nigerian courts, although the circumstances surrounding the particular defendant and the reason for the handcuffs were not immediately clear from the available reports.
Sowore has continued to combine his court appearances with his political activities as he prepares for the 2027 presidential election.
For now, his own case remains before the Federal High Court in Abuja, with proceedings scheduled to resume on October 2.
Comments
Post a Comment