Sowore is the publisher of Sahara Reporters, an online news publication that focuses on uncovering political scandal and corruption in Nigeria. He was also a presidential candidate in Nigeria’s last elections in February.
He was first arrested on Aug. 3 on charges of treason with the government claiming the activist planned to overthrow the current administration after he called for a protest dubbed “Revolution Now.” He was granted bail in October but was still kept in DSS custody.
On December 5, Sowore, a Nigerian-American, was finally released on bail following a court order, but was detained yet again in controversial circumstances. In dramatic scenes in court on Dec. 6, agents of Nigeria’s Department for State Security (DSS) attempted to arrest Sowore, resulting in a scuffle involving his lawyers. Following the incident, Femi Falana, one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers and lead of Sowore’s legal team, confirmed the activist was back in DSS custody.
