Court Sets Date For Arraignment As IGP Charges Sowore With False Publication, Forgery
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a three-count charge against politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, accusing him of making false publication and forging an official police signal.the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/374/2025, was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to the charge, Sowore, alongside his platform, Sahara Reporters, were alleged to have conspired to commit forgery on July 30, 2025.
Part of the count reads: “That you Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters on or about the 30th day of July, 2025 did conspire between yourselves to commit a felony to wit forgery and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (C) of Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Law of the Federation of Nigeria.”
The IGP further accused Sowore of forging a police wireless message, purportedly signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector-General of Police.
In a separate count, Sowore was accused of publishing inciting material on his Facebook page on July 31, 2025, with the alleged intent of provoking mutiny against the Federal Government.
“That you Omoyele Sowore… did intentionally post a fake police signal and other inciting materials on your Facebook page with intention to incite members of the force and the general public to embark on a mutiny against the Federal Government of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code Law,” the charge stated.
Sowore was expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, but proceedings stalled due to the prosecution’s inability to serve the charge on Sahara Reporters, listed as the second defendant.
Prosecuting counsel, Wisdom Madaki, informed the court that efforts were ongoing to serve the second defendant through substituted means, including newspaper publication.
Madaki subsequently applied for a fresh date for arraignment.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request and adjourned the matter until September 15, 2025, for the arraignment of Sowore and Sahara Reporters.
