Sowore, Ejimakor, Others Regain Freedom from Kuje Prison, Recount Ordeal

By Christy Emeka

Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, have regained their freedom from Kuje Prison after fulfilling bail conditions set by an Abuja Magistrate’s Court.

They were released on Monday alongside Prince Emmanuel Kanu, Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, and 11 others who were arrested by the Nigeria Police during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held in the Federal Capital Territory last week. The group had been charged with unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace.

In his ruling, Magistrate Sai’id granted them bail in the sum of ₦500,000 each, with conditions including a verified National Identification Number (NIN), a three-year tax clearance certificate, and the deposit of their international passports.

After perfecting the bail conditions, Sowore, Ejimakor, and the others were released on Monday.

Speaking shortly after his release, Sowore expressed deep pain and guilt over the plight of innocent Nigerians still languishing in detention.

He wrote on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter):

“There’s nothing more painful than seeing innocent people left behind in prison. When I was being released today, I FELT GUILT because I left behind children or adults whose only ‘crime’ is being poor or voiceless while the powerful walk free. It’s a brutal reminder that justice in Nigeria is often broken and sold. Every wrongful imprisonment steals time, hope, and dignity, and that’s why the fight for justice must never stop.”

Meanwhile, Ejimakor described his experience as traumatic, recounting the rough handling and violence meted out to the protesters by the police.

“The experience is traumatic for me and my colleagues. It was traumatic in the manner of the arrest. We were shoved around, some were beaten, and teargas canisters were deployed directly on us,” he told journalists after his release.

Ejimakor had earlier collapsed inside Kuje Prison following reported health complications arising from the harsh conditions of detention. Prison medical staff attended to him, and there were fears he might be transferred to a hospital if his condition worsened.

Despite the ordeal, Ejimakor expressed gratitude to those who stood by him and others during their incarceration, declaring that he is back “re-energised” to continue the struggle for justice and the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

Both Sowore and Ejimakor’s experiences have once again drawn attention to the state of Nigeria’s justice system, the conditions of detention facilities, and the treatment of peaceful protesters by security agencies.