The Nigeria Police Force has summoned former presidential candidate and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, for questioning over fresh allegations bordering on forgery and inciting public disturbance.
According to a letter dated August 1, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit, the activist is expected to appear at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 4. The summons states that Sowore’s name was “mentioned prominently” in connection with a case reported on July 31, 2025.
While the police did not provide further public clarification on the nature of the case, SaharaReporters—owned by Sowore—has alleged that the summons is a retaliatory move by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, following a series of investigative reports published by the platform.
The reports accuse the IGP of orchestrating secret promotions within the force, allegedly favouring female officers believed to have personal ties to him, including one Bukola Kuti. According to SaharaReporters, these promotions bypassed standard procedures and were facilitated through questionable recommendations.
The media platform claims that rather than addressing the allegations or launching an internal probe, the police hierarchy has resorted to “harassment and intimidation” of journalists and whistleblowers. Sowore himself has maintained that his activism and journalism will not be silenced by what he describes as “abuse of power under a democratic dispensation.”
This is not the first time the activist has faced police or state scrutiny over his work. The recent development is already drawing attention from rights groups and international observers concerned about freedom of the press and civic space in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police Force has not issued a formal statement to confirm or deny SaharaReporters' claims linking the invitation to the IGP promotion scandal. Sowore, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will honour the invitation but insists he will continue to expose what he sees as institutional rot within Nigeria’s security architecture.
Observers are watching closely to see how the police handle the matter in the days ahead, especially in light of growing concerns over transparency, accountability, and the treatment of dissenting voices in the country.