Activist and former presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to release his international passport to enable him to travel to the United States for a family visit and routine medical check-up.
Sowore, who is currently out on bail, is facing a 16-count cybercrime charge filed by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged defamatory remarks made on social media.
The charges stem from a post on his 𝕏 handle (formerly Twitter), where he reportedly referred to the IGP as an “illegal IGP.” He has since pleaded not guilty, describing the case as a politically motivated attack.
At a previous hearing, Justice Musa Liman stated that while the court was not opposed to Sowore’s travel request, he needed to provide proper documentation as proof.
During Monday’s session, Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshall, argued that the motion was solely to seek temporary release of his passport so he could travel and return before April for trial.
However, Justice Liman questioned the legitimacy of the submitted travel documents, pointing out inconsistencies such as the lack of a flight ticket with full details, the absence of his wife and children’s names in the affidavits, and a claim that the ticket was for a trip to Uganda instead of the U.S.
Visibly frustrated, Sowore refuted the court’s concerns, accusing it of aligning with the prosecution’s weak arguments.
“My Lord, of course, I can speak for myself. I am a citizen of this country, and I’m the one on trial before you. If I cannot get justice from the court, then the court might as well throw me into jail,” he declared.
He also clarified that his flight itinerary clearly showed Lagos (LOS) to Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) and not Uganda, as claimed by the police counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed.
“For your information, I will not run away from my country.”
The police counsel opposed the request, arguing that the application lacked sufficient proof and that a text message from Sowore’s doctor was not enough justification for travel.
In response, Marshall countered that Sowore was not ill and only needed a routine check-up, insisting that he had previously faced politically motivated charges in 2019 but never fled.
After heated exchanges, Justice Liman ruled that Sowore must provide:
✅ A comprehensive medical history
✅ A formal letter from his U.S. doctor
The case was adjourned to Tuesday, March 4, 2025, for a final ruling.
