The Nigeria Police have dismissed claims by activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, that he was tortured while in detention, saying his arrest was over allegations of forgery, cyberstalking and other offences.
Sowore, who was detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja after honouring an invitation from the IGP Monitoring Unit on Wednesday, was released on Friday. In a Facebook post, he described his detention as “illegal and unjust,” and alleged that police officers broke his hand.
“Since I came here yesterday, they broke my hand, they have not been able to bring a doctor, they brought a nurse,” Sowore said in a live stream shared on Sahara Reporters’ Facebook page. “Instead of bringing the doctor, they went and brought the media. I was expecting it.”
But the police, in a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the activist’s claims were false and aimed at misleading the public.
“Contrary to the falsehoods being circulated, Mr. Sowore was arrested based on credible, corroborated allegations involving criminal offences such as forgery, cyberstalking, and other infractions currently under active investigation,” the statement read.
The Force said Sowore’s detention was based on a valid remand order from a competent court and that he was released on bail within the 48-hour constitutional limit.
On the viral photo showing Sowore with a bandage, the police said, “The bandage was part of his personal belongings at the time he honoured the police’s invitation—prior to his arrest and detention.”
The statement added that the Inspector-General of Police had ordered an internal probe into how Sowore accessed the bandage during detention after he refused medical examinations by two independent police medical teams on August 7 and 8.
“The Nigeria Police Force maintains a zero-tolerance policy for torture, in alignment with the Anti-Torture Act, 2017,” Adejobi said, adding that records show Sowore twice declined offers for medical evaluation.
The police said the case will proceed to court where Sowore will face the allegations through a lawful and transparent process.
