Inspector-General Tells President Tinubu Sowore Cannot Be ‘Caged,’ Notes Passport Still Withheld

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has reportedly informed President Bola Tinubu that human rights activist Omoyele Sowore cannot be detained by the Department of State Services (DSS), amid a contentious cyberstalking case against the former presidential candidate.

A senior government source told SaharaReporters that Egbetokun noted Sowore’s passport remains withheld by the court, preventing him from leaving the country. “IGP told Tinubu that the DSS can’t cage Sowore. He told him that his passport is tied down,” the source stated.

The remarks come as Sowore faces a two-count amended charge of cyberstalking, filed by the DSS, for allegedly describing President Tinubu as “a criminal” in social media posts last August. He has pleaded not guilty.

During a recent court hearing, proceedings took an unexpected turn when the DSS played a video of President Tinubu’s August 2025 speech in Brazil, in which he claimed to have “fought corruption to a standstill” and that “there was no corruption in Nigeria any longer.” The courtroom reportedly erupted in laughter, pausing the session for several minutes.

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the DSS to provide Sowore’s legal team with all evidence and witness lists, emphasizing that due process must be followed. “Even if you are calling a spirit as a witness, you must follow the law,” Justice Umar remarked.

Sowore’s international passport has been held by the court since January 2025 as part of his bail conditions, a restriction he and his supporters have criticized as punitive and an undue constraint on his freedom.

The trial is adjourned to January 27 for cross-examination of the first prosecution witness.