The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday revoked the bail granted to Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, over his absence from court during his trial.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on an oral application made by counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN, also issued a bench warrant for Sowore’s arrest.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DSS is prosecuting Sowore for allegedly making false claims against President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on his X and Facebook accounts.
Justice Umar had, on June 5, fixed Tuesday for ruling on an application filed by Sowore through his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, seeking the judge’s recusal from the case.
However, when the case was called, neither Sowore nor his lawyer was present in court.
The court was then informed that the defendant had sent a letter seeking an adjournment of the matter.
In response, counsel to the DSS opposed the application for adjournment.
Kehinde argued that no cogent reason had been adduced by the defendant to justify the application.
He, therefore, urged the court to revoke Sowore’s bail and issue a bench warrant for his arrest.
NAN
