The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a three-count criminal charge against politician and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, over alleged forgery and false publication.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/374/2025, was entered before the Federal High Court in Abuja. According to the police, Sowore allegedly forged a wireless signal of the Nigeria Police Force and circulated it on his media platforms.
The counts read:
“That you Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters on or about the 30th day of July, 2025 did conspire between yourselves to commit a felony to wit forgery and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (C) of Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Law of the Federation of Nigeria.”
“That you Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters on or about the 30th day of July, 2025 forged a police wireless message purported to have been signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the inspector General of Police, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (C) of Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Law of the Federation of the Nigeria.”
” That you Omoyele Sowore on or about the 31st day of July, 2025 did intentionally post a fake police signal and other inciting materials on your Facebook page with intention to incite members of the force and the general public to embark on a mutiny against the Federal Government of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code Law.”
Sowore was scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday but the process stalled over the prosecution’s inability to serve the charge on Sahara Reporters, listed as the second defendant.
Prosecuting counsel, Wisdom Madaki, informed the court that efforts to serve the second defendant through substituted means by newspaper publication is still in progress. He applied for a new date for arraignment.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request and adjourned the matter to September 15 for arraignment.
After the court session, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, told journalists that he will challenge the competence of the charges, describing them as frivolous and unjustified.
Meanwhile, in an earlier ruling on Tuesday, Justice Nwite ordered six banks and financial platforms to release Sowore’s account details and statements to the police.
