The Nigerian Government has amended the charges brought against rights activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, by dropping money laundering and cyber-stalking from the case.
Counsel to the government, A. Aliyu, informed Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, of the development on Wednesday during the resumption of trial, which was later adjourned until Thursday to accommodate the new charge against the defendant.
As a result, the Nigerian Government is now accusing Sowore of attempting to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through revolution.
The fresh charge reads, “That you Omoyele Stephen Sowore, Olawale Adebayo Bakare and others at large under the aegis of Coalition for Revolution sometimes in August 2019 in Abuja, Lagos, and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to stage a revolution campaign on the 5th day of August 2019 tagged #RevolutionNow aimed at removing the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during his term of office otherwise than by constitutional means.”
Recall that the government through the Department of State Services had on August 3 and 5, 2019 respectively arrested Sowore and Bakare in Lagos and Osun states for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from the administration of President Buhari.
They were eventually released on bail in December after months of unlawful detention.
During proceedings on Wednesday, Justice Ojukwu ordered the Nigerian Government to pay Sowore and Bakare N200,000 each for the unnecessary delay in their trials.
