Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), confronted security officers at the Federal High Court in Abuja after they attempted to prevent his entry.
The officers, drawn from the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were stationed at the court due to the trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who is facing allegations of financial mismanagement, including money laundering and embezzlement of public funds.
In a video shared on his X account, Sowore was seen engaging in a heated argument with the officers, questioning their authority to deny him access.
He accused them of working with corrupt officials to undermine the legal system and insisted that they had no jurisdiction over court proceedings.
He further criticized their heavy presence at the court, claiming they were there solely because of the trial of an individual he referred to as a “thief” (Yahaya Bello).
“Why are you shouting at me? Do I look like Yahaya Bello? I have a valid reason to be here. I don’t need permission from the police or the EFCC because none of you are court officials,” Sowore stated.
“This is a Federal High Court; if there is a court official who needs to speak with me, they should come forward. The EFCC has taken me to court before, yet you continue to harass people. You have no legal right to block access to the court. You are not my lawyer, and you have no business asking about my case,” he added.
Despite their efforts to stop him, Sowore continued forward until a police officer eventually instructed his colleagues to let him enter the premises.