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Sowore: I Was More Powerful Than Tinubu in 1992 When IGP Egbetokun ‘Probably’ Joined Police (video)

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The 2023 Presidential Candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) and activist, Omoyele Sowore has berated the allegations levelled against him by the Nigeria’s Inspector General Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.

In a video report posted by the News Central, Sowore while speaking on the frivolity of the lawsuits, said it is ridiculous to ask for the level 17 civil servant from him who is just an employer of labour and citizen of Nigeria, as surety.

In his words, “a level 17 civil servant can only be a permanent secretary that is probably appointed. Can such person appear as my surety?”

He said even if the President Bola Tinubu appears as his surety, “I would probably rejected him.” Adding that “In 1992, I was more powerful than Tinubu who was just the senator then in Nigeria’s society.”

He said, “that time, Egbetokun probably just joined the police.”

The Nigerian police charged Mr Sowore on Tuesday with 17 counts of cybercrime offences for referring to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, as “illegal IGP” in a post on his social media platforms.

Mr Egbetokun, who was expected to have exited service having attained the statutory retirement age of 60 years in September 2024, secured an extended stay in office following a controversial alteration to the Nigeria Police Act passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu.

The alteration allowed Mr Egbetokun to stay in office for up to four years as Nigeria’s police chief.

The police alleged in the indictment filed on Tuesday that Mr Sowore knew that the description of Mr Egbetokun as an “illegal IGP” was false, but knowingly made the claim to cause a “breakdown of law and order”.

They alleged that the act constituted an offence contrary to section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 as amended (2024) and punishable under section 24(2)(c) (ii) of the same Act.

Mr Sowore, who was detained after honouring a police invitation on Monday, described the charges as ridiculous.

“These have to be some of the most ridiculous charges ever filed by Nigerian law enforcement agents. Omoyele Sowore to face charges for calling retired and fired IGP Kayode Egbetokun ‘Illegal IGP’,” Mr Sowore said in a message he circulated via Whatsapp on Tuesday.

Mr Sowore also mocked the charges in a Facebook post, portraying blunders in the filling as justifying his accusation that Mr Egbetokun was incompetent.

“Sowore claimed IG of Nigeria Police Force, KAYODE Egbetokun, was illegal and incompetent, then he quickly moved to court to file charges for cybercrime, with incorrect spellings of Sowore’s 1st name and wrong spelling of ‘incite’.” Mr Sowore wrote on Facebook Tuesday night.

In the charge sheet, Mr Sowore’s first name was misspelt as “Omoleye” instead of “Omoyele” across the 17 counts. The police also wrote “insight” where they intended to write “incite”.

The activist was invited for questioning by the police over a video clip he uploaded on social media alleging extortion by officers at a checkpoint in Lagos.

Read Also: Nigerian Police PRO Says ‘It Is Lawful for Officers to Break Into any Properties’

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