Police Reevaluate Bail Conditions for Omoyele Sowore, Demand Level 16 Civil Servant as Surety

The Nigeria Police Force (PoliceNG) team assigned to the case of activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore has informed him of a new development in his bail conditions. According to Sowore, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Force Intelligence Directorate, Dasuki Galandachi, has reevaluated his bail terms, now requiring the production of a Level 16 civil servant as a surety and the surrender of his international passport. Sowore has categorically rejected these demands, stating that he will not participate in any arrangement that compromises his personal integrity.

The new conditions were communicated to Sowore by the PoliceNG team overseeing his case, and have sparked a strong response from his legal team, led by renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana SAN. In a statement to the DIG, Falana expressed his objections to the new bail requirements, citing a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal that deemed such conditions illegal.

Falana referred to the landmark 2020 case of Dasuki v. Director-General, S.S.S., in which Justice Adah JCA (now JSC) ruled against the practice of involving civil servants in the bail of individuals accused of criminal offenses. The ruling explicitly stated that expecting civil servants below the level of a Level 16 officer to provide bail surety—particularly when significant property requirements are involved—contravenes the Public Service Rules and contradicts Nigeria's efforts in the fight against corruption. The judgment also noted that this practice has never been the norm in Nigeria or any other part of the world.

Falana's response emphasized that the legal precedent clearly establishes that such bail conditions are unlawful. The lawyer’s letter concluded with a firm objection to the demand for a Level 16 civil servant as surety, arguing that it undermines both the rule of law and the rights of the accused.

As of now, Sowore remains firm in his position, refusing to comply with what he considers unreasonable and unlawful conditions. This development marks another chapter in his ongoing legal battles, with his supporters and critics alike closely watching the unfolding events.