Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Yele Sowore has raised alarm over what he described as a “legally baseless” invitation by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Team, calling for proper documentation before he would consider appearing before the team.
In a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, August 5, 2025, Sowore revealed that he had formally requested a properly issued, legally grounded invitation, as well as an advance copy of the petition that allegedly necessitates his appearance.
Instead of fulfilling his request, he said the IGP Monitoring Team insisted that the previous invitation—which cited a nonexistent offense of “INCTING DISTURBANCE” and referenced Section 53(2) of the “ACJA 2025”—remained valid.
“I have demanded a proper, dated, and signed invitation and a copy of the petition upon which it is based. Instead, they continue to rely on a fake law and imaginary charges,” Sowore wrote.
The activist dismissed the initial invitation as void due to what he described as an “alarming number of unknowns and legal fabrications.” He argued that the offense listed in the police document — “INCTING DISTURBANCE” — does not exist in Nigerian criminal statutes.
Even more troubling, Sowore noted, is that the invitation referenced Section 53(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2025, which he described as a non-existent legal framework.
“There is no such thing as ACJA 2025. My legal team has verified this — it is a complete legal fiction,” he stated.
The activist, known for his fierce stance on human rights and government accountability, insisted that any attempt to summon him must follow due process. He issued a challenge to the Nigeria Police, stating that he would only honour a fresh invitation if the following conditions are met:
A properly dated and signed official invitation.
An advance copy of the actual petition or complaint upon which the invitation is based.
Sowore’s latest confrontation with the police adds to a long history of tense engagements between him and state security institutions, often revolving around free speech, protests, and political dissent.
While the Nigeria Police Force has yet to issue a formal response to his statement, civil society groups and legal analysts are already weighing in, with some warning that such procedural irregularities could undermine public trust in the rule of law.
Credit: @YeleSowore via x.com
Credit: @YeleSowore via x.com
Leave a Reply