Sowore Clashes With DSS Operatives After Court Orders Kuje Remand

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Monday engaged operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in a tense confrontation at the Federal High Court in Abuja after a judge ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The incident followed Sowore’s appearance before the court in an ongoing case involving allegations that he insulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and referred to him as a criminal.

Presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, ordered that Sowore be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of an application before the court.

Shortly after the ruling, videos circulating on social media showed the activist resisting attempts by DSS operatives to escort him from the court premises.

In one of the videos, Sowore questioned why security officials intended to transport him in what he described as a “Black Maria” vehicle rather than a conventional prison van.

“When you are taking people to prison, you put them in a van. Why do you want to put me in a Black Maria? Black Maria. What did I do wrong? Even if you want the DSS to follow us, let them give us one van, but don’t put me in a Black Maria,” he said.

Another video captured a verbal exchange between Sowore and DSS operatives before security officials physically escorted him toward a waiting vehicle outside the court premises.

Supporters of the activist who were present at the scene also engaged in verbal exchanges with security operatives as tensions escalated shortly after the court proceedings.

The incident has since sparked widespread reactions on social media, with supporters and critics expressing divergent views on the circumstances surrounding his arrest and transportation from the court.

Sowore has consistently maintained that the charges against him are politically motivated and intended to silence dissenting voices.

The case has continued to attract public attention amid broader debates about freedom of expression, political criticism and the role of security agencies in handling high-profile cases involving government critics.