IGP Egbetokun Drags Sowore to Court Over ‘Illegal IG’ Comment

Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a lawsuit against activist Omoyele Sowore over comments on social media where he referred to Egbetokun as an “illegal IG.”

Sowore faces three charges under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024. The charges, filed under suit number FCH/ABJ/23/25, accuse him of intentionally spreading false information through his verified Twitter account to incite unrest.

One of the charges states that on December 13, 2024, Sowore posted a message calling Egbetokun “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun,” allegedly with the intent to disrupt law and order. Another count accuses him of inciting Nigerians against the police, while a third charge refers to a December 20, 2024, post predicting another #EndSARS protest, blaming Egbetokun for it.

The police claim these statements were meant to destabilize public order and undermine police authority. Sowore is expected to appear before Justice Liman at the Federal High Court in Abuja today.

His legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar, confirmed that the case will be heard, while political activist Deji Adeyanju criticized the charges as an abuse of legal process, vowing a strong defense.

Sowore was arrested on Monday after allegedly obstructing public officers and refusing bail conditions set by the police. His case comes amid ongoing tensions with the Nigerian authorities, particularly after he posted a viral video in December accusing police officers of extortion at a Lagos checkpoint.