Abubakar Marshal, lawyer to human rights activist and Publisher of Sahara Reporters Omoyele Sowore, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of shrinking Nigeria’s civic space by prosecuting citizens who demand accountability from government officials.
Speaking to journalists after a court session at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, Marshal criticised the government for what he described as a “misplaced priority”, saying authorities were more focused on silencing dissent than tackling widespread insecurity.
He lamented that bandits “share sovereignty with the government”, kidnap citizens openly, and release videos of their crimes on social media, yet the same government chooses to arrest and prosecute individuals who merely call for good governance.
“It is embarrassing that a government that negotiates with bandits and pays ransom to criminals would turn around to arrest and prosecute innocent Nigerians who are only calling for accountability,” he said.
Marshal insisted that Nigerians have a constitutional right to freely express opinions on matters of public importance without fear of intimidation, warning that any attempt to curtail fundamental freedoms would be resisted.
He referenced a 1991 sedition case in which President Tinubu, then a pro-democracy activist, was charged and later discharged after defending his right to free expression.
“Why is the same administration now seeking to deny others the rights it once enjoyed?” he asked.
Speaking on the charge against Sowore, Marshal described it as “incompetent and defective,” noting that his legal team had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
He stressed that Sowore, who is facing allegations of defamation and cyberstalking of President Tinubu, had never jumped bail and continued to show commitment to attending all court proceedings.
Marshal also dismissed claims by the prosecution that granting bail could threaten public order.
“There is no evidence before the court to show that the defendant will commit another offence if released,” he said.
The defence relied on Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), arguing that seriousness or prevalence of an alleged offence is not a lawful ground to deny bail.
Justice M.D. Umar, in his ruling, granted Sowore bail on self-recognizance, noting that available records showed the defendant had consistently appeared in court, had his passport deposited with the registry, and posed no proven threat to national security.
The case was adjourned to January 19, 2026, for further hearing.
Marshal urged Nigerians to defend their freedoms and resist attempts to suppress civic rights, declaring that “until we are all free, we are not free.”
Leave a Reply