The Nigerian government has decided to withdraw the charges of treasonable felony against Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Sowore had been facing the accusation of treason after calling for a protest known as #RevolutionNow, scheduled for August 5, 2019 during the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Following his call to protest, he was arrested at midnight on August 3, 2019, and was held in detention by the State Security Services (SSS) for five months.
In a surprising turn of events in November 2023, the judge presiding over the case, Emeka Nwite, had threatened to dismiss the over four-year trial if the prosecution did not improve its performance.
Furthermore, during the recent court session, the main defendant was unable to enter a plea due to the appointment of a new prosecution lawyer, A.Y. Tahir. Nonetheless, the trial was adjourned, and it has now been revealed that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has filed a notice on February 14 to discontinue the case. In the notice, Fagbemi invoked the authority vested in him by the Constitution and relevant laws to withdraw the charges.
This decision represents a significant development in the legal saga involving Sowore, marking a shift in the government’s stance on the matter.
