The Nigeria Police Force has invited human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, over allegations of forgery and inciting disturbance.
The invitation letter dated 1 August asked Mr Sowore to appear on Monday, 4 August, for an interview at the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The letter, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit, Akin Fakorede, and which Mr Sowore shared on Facebook on Saturday, said the invitation was in connection to a case of forgery and inciting violence reported on 31 July.
“In view of the foregoing, and in the spirit of fair hearing, you are kindly requested to appear for an interview with the undersigned through SP Abdulhafiz Garba at the Monitoring Unit, First Floor, Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday, 4th August 2025, by 10:00 a.m., to shed more light on the allegations,” the letter stated.
The invitation, the police said, was issued in line with Section 53(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2025.
Mr Sowore’s invitation comes less than two weeks after his active roles in the 21 July protest of retired police officers to the Force Headquarters in Abuja against the poor retirement and pension packages that have left them impoverished.
The former presidential candidate has continued to champion the mobilisation for a follow-up protest of the retired cops later this month.
Mr Sowore alleged that his Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses were stolen by a police agent during the last protest.
Sharing a video clip capturing the supposed scene when the glasses were snatched from his face, Mr Sowore has reported the alleged theft in multiple posts on 23, 24, 25, and 26 July.
In his relentless campaign since the day of the incident, he has called out one Aku Victor Chiemere, who he described as a cameraman attached to the office of the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, as the suspect.
In a follow-up, Mr Sowore said, “Yesterday, I submitted another petition to the Nigeria Police Force in the Asokoro division.
“This petition concerns the theft of my Ray-Ban AI-powered eyeglasses, which were stolen by Aku Victor Chiemere, a police cameraman working with the Force PPRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.”
He added that his lawyer, Tope Temokun, had earlier submitted a petition to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), but they were referred to the nearest divisional police station. “We know it is a game!” he wrote.
The police have not officially responded to the theft allegation.
Mr Sowore, a feisty critic of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has made a habit of referring to him as ‘Illegal IGP’ – an expression of an intense disapproval of the tenure extension granted him by President Bola Tinubu last year.
His campaign against the extension of Mr Egbetokun’s tenure prompted the Nigerian police to file cybercrime charges against him in January.
The police charged Mr Sowore with 17 counts of cybercrime offences for referring to the IGP, Mr Egbetokun, as “illegal IGP” in a post on his social media platforms.
Mr Egbetokun, who was expected to have exited service having attained the statutory retirement age of 60 years in September 2024, secured an extended stay in office following a controversial alteration to the Nigeria Police Act passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr Tinubu.
The alteration allowed Mr Egbetokun to stay in office for up to four years as Nigeria’s police chief.
Mr Sowore denied the cybercrime charges.
Sowore’s reaction
Mr Sowore has expressed his readiness to honour the latest police invitation and called on his supporters to join him.
He alleged that the move had ulterior motives and was intended to harass him.
“The illegal IGP of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, is excreting bricks and can’t stand the heat anymore. So he’s embarked again on another voyage, considering that his ‘cybercrime’ farcical trial and the seizure of my international passport didn’t work. He’s invited me to his IGP Monitoring Unit for ‘forgery and inciting disturbance’ investigations,” Mr Sowore posted.
“I will be there on Monday, and I’ll be inviting all our people in the revolutionary struggle to come with me. #EgbetokunMustGo,” he declared.
How it started
The dispute stems from an incident during a protest on 21 July at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, which was led by Mr Sowore, alongside activists and retired police officers.
The demonstrators demanded improved welfare and the removal of police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme, which they say has left many impoverished.
During the protest, Mr Sowore claimed that a police officer in plain clothes stole his Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses.
In a post shared on the day of the protest, Mr Sowore claimed that an officer in plain clothes was caught on camera removing his glasses.
“This Nigeria Police Force officer, dressed in mufti, stole my AI Ray-Ban glasses at the Force Headquarters during #PoliceProtest today. His superiors are shielding him. Please DM if you know his name and rank as soon as possible,” he wrote.
According to Mr Sowore, video evidence captured the moment the glasses were forcefully taken from his face.
Following his identification of Mr Chiemere as the suspect, Mr Sowore accused Mr Adejobi of complicity and demanded legal action against both men.
“This act is not only criminal; it is a reprehensible behaviour orchestrated by a senior police officer. I am demanding the immediate return of my stolen property and the prosecution of both ACP Muyiwa Adejobi and Aku Victor Chiemere for theft, conspiracy, and official misconduct,” he said.
Mr Sowore also called on retirees to organise beyond protests, warning that their neglect could be used against them.
“Beyond perennial complaints, Nigerian retirees must organise and become a revolutionary political force. Otherwise, these politicians will wipe you off the surface of the earth with their favourite weapon: HUNGER & STARVATION!” he warned.
Credit: Premium Times
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