The Nigeria Police have filed a criminal charge against former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore for describing the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun as ‘illegal IGP.’
The charge, made available to journalists on Tuesday showed that the charge was filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Egbetokun was expected to have retired from public service having attained statutory retirement age of 60 years in September 2024.
The National Assembly however amended the Nigeria Police Act which was assented by President Bola Tinubu, allowing the IGP to stay in office for up to four years as the nation’s police chief.
Some of the charges signed by Jonathan Acia of the Legal and Prosecution Unit of the Police Force Headquarters read: “That you, Omoleye Sowore, that on the 13th day of December, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account “Omoyele Sowore” and cause a publication against the Inspector General of Police where you called him “…illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun” which you know to be false, for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order and you caused the message to be sent and thereby committed 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.
“That you, OMOLEYE SOWORE, that on the 13th day of December, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly cause the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account “Omoyele Sowore” links and cause a publication against the Inspector General of Police where you called him “…illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun” which you know to be false and tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG, containing threats to insight the Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm it property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force and thereby committed an offence and punishable under section 24(2)(c) (ii)of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 as Amended 2024.
“That you, OMOLEYE SOWORE, that on the 20th day of December, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account “Omoyele Sowore” and cause a publication against the Inspector General of Police where you called him “The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution” which you know to be false, for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order and caused the message to be sent and thereby committed an offence contrary to section…”