The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted fresh bail to African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, weeks after revoking his earlier bail and ordering his arrest over his failure to appear for trial.
Justice Umar Mohammed admitted Sowore to bail in the sum of ₦200 million with two sureties, imposing stringent conditions aimed at guaranteeing his appearance in court.
Under the new bail terms, one surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, while the second must be a property owner within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The court further directed that both sureties be verified by counsel to the prosecution, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN).
The judge also ordered the AAC chieftain to surrender his international passport to the Deputy Registrar of the court pending the conclusion of proceedings.
Sowore’s bail was revoked on June 16 after he failed to attend court for the continuation of his trial on charges bordering on alleged cybercrime and criminal defamation. The court subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest and later ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore over alleged defamatory publications in which he reportedly described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts shared on his social media platforms.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Sowore’s counsel, R.O. Adakole, urged the court to release his client to him to facilitate the retrieval of his passport from the United States Embassy in Lagos.
The application followed an earlier unsuccessful attempt by Sowore to have Justice Umar Mohammed withdraw from the case over allegations of bias. The court had dismissed the recusal request and proceeded with the matter.
After granting bail, Justice Mohammed adjourned further hearing in the case until July 6, 2026.
The ruling provides temporary relief for the former presidential candidate as he continues to contest the charges filed against him by the DSS.