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Court Grants Sowore N200m Bail in Tinubu Defamation Trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in the sum of N200 million in his ongoing trial over alleged…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in the sum of N200 million in his ongoing trial over alleged defamatory statements against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice Muhammad Umar set strict bail conditions for the defendant, including the provision of two sureties.

According to the court, one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the second must possess landed property within Abuja. The court further directed that both sureties be verified by the prosecution.

Justice Umar also ordered Sowore to surrender his international passport to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court pending the conclusion of the case.

Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over allegations that he made defamatory claims against President Tinubu in posts published on his social media accounts, including X and Facebook, where he allegedly referred to the President as “a criminal.”

The matter follows earlier proceedings in which the court had revoked the bail previously granted to Sowore on self-recognition in December 2025 and ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he failed to appear at an earlier sitting.

At the last hearing held on June 24, the court adjourned proceedings to June 30 for further consideration of arguments and pending applications in the case.
The trial is expected to continue as legal proceedings unfold.

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Published June 30, 2026
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