The Nigeria Police Force has postponed a scheduled interview with human rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, over allegations of forgery and inciting public disturbance.
Sowore was originally invited to appear before the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Abuja on Monday, 4 August 2025, but the appointment was deferred due to the unavailability of the unit’s head, Deputy Commissioner of Police Akin Fakorede, who has reportedly been assigned to an urgent national assignment in the North-East.
“Please be informed that your meeting with DCP Akin Fakorede, Head of IGP Monitoring Unit, slated for Monday, 4th August 2025, has been postponed,” read a message from the investigating officer, Hafiz Garba, shared by Mr Sowore on Sunday. “A new date will be fixed and you will be notified accordingly.”
The police did not specify the details of the allegations, but the invitation followed a case reportedly filed on 31 July 2025, in which Mr Sowore’s name was prominently mentioned.
Although the specific nature of the complaint remains unclear, the invitation came less than two weeks after Sowore led a protest by retired police officers at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on 21 July. The demonstrators demanded the removal of police personnel from the Contributory Pension Scheme and called for improved welfare for retired officers.
During the protest, Sowore alleged that a police officer stole his Ray-Ban Meta AI-powered smart glasses. He identified the alleged culprit as one Aku Victor Chiemere, a cameraman said to be attached to the office of the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi. Sowore filed a theft petition at the Asokoro Police Division after an earlier report to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) was redirected.
In several posts between 23 and 26 July, Sowore maintained his accusation and shared a video clip he said captured the incident. However, the police have not publicly responded to the theft claim.
Mr Sowore, a vocal critic of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has continued to refer to the police chief as “Illegal IGP” following the controversial extension of his tenure after he attained retirement age in September 2024. In January, the police charged Sowore with 17 counts of cybercrime for comments relating to the IGP’s tenure.
Sowore has denied the charges and described the various police actions against him as attempts to silence dissent and harass him.
Despite the postponement of his scheduled interview with the police, Mr Sowore has continued to mobilize support for another protest by retired police officers later in the month.
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