Sowore Blasts IGP Egbetokun Over Level 17 Officer Surety
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has called it an insult for Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to request that he provide a level 17 officer as surety after he was invited and later detained for calling him an “Illegal IGP.”
Sowore made this statement on Wednesday in Abuja, speaking to journalists shortly after the court adjourned its ruling on his bail application to Thursday, January 25, 2025.
He expressed shock at how the Nigerian police have abused their prosecutorial powers, suggesting it amounts to a personal vendetta.
He said he has no apology for calling Egbetokun “Illegal IGP”, saying he would not stop to address him in that manner.
The human rights activist condemned the Nigerian police for engaging in what he described as “illegality and corruption” in the country’s bail process.
Sowore explained that he could no longer participate in a system where police officers issue “ridiculous and frivolous charges” as conditions for bail, including the requirement for citizens to deposit their passports.
Sowore, who has long been an outspoken critic of corruption in the country, made it clear that he could not, in good conscience, continue participating in such actions, which he described as a breach of human rights.
He argued that the Nigerian police had no legal right to demand such conditions, particularly when asking civil servants to provide extravagant collateral, such as multi-million-naira houses.
He said the police are not supposed to grant administrative bail with conditions that ask for civil servants to own properties worth N100 million.
Sowore said this is not just an abuse of power; it’s an insult to the citizens of Nigeria who are already suffering from systemic corruption.
The activist, who is the publisher of SaharaReporters, questioned the logic of a level 17 civil servant being asked to stand bail for him, particularly given his status as an employer of labour with a significant international and domestic workforce.
He asked, “How can a Level 17 civil servant stand bail for me, when I am an employer of labor, running an international media company?”
Sowore, who has spent decades fighting against corruption, also took aim at the current Nigerian leadership, recalling his experiences from 1992, when Bola Tinubu was a senator.
“At that time, I was more powerful than Tinubu in Nigerian society, and IGP Kayode Egbetokun was likely just a sergeant,” Sowore said.
Sowore reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption, stating that he has spent his entire life challenging the system.
“I am not a civil servant. In fact, I consider myself an uncivil citizen who stands against every form of corruption,” he said.
The activist noted that demanding a civil servant to stand as his surety was not only a violation of his rights but also a blatant display of impunity from those in power.
He vowed to continue his fight for justice, equality, and against the corrupt practices that continue to plague Nigeria.
He said, “I cannot in good conscience continue to participate in illegality because I have made it very clear that the police have no right to grant administrative bail that asked for civil servant to own, first and foremost N100 million houses, which is a crime, that’s a corruption.
“To stand bail for me who is an employer of labour; I’m a publisher of an internationally renowned news website. I have people who I hired in Nigeria and abroad. I’m not a civil servant. In fact, I’m an uncivil citizen who is against all kind of corruption.”
“I have spent my entire life fighting against corruption. So to now asked me, to insult me that I should provide a level 17 director, who had not gotten employment when I was fighting for democracy in 1992.
“To now ask the person to come and stand surety for me, is a biggest insult. Even if President Bola Tinubu had appeared as my surety, I would have rejected him that very laughable frivolous, ridiculous and I dare say stupid bail condition.
“If the court in his own wisdom decided that they want my passport in their coffers, which is very special passport, that’s a different issue.
“But we must continue to reject the impunity of the Nigerian police and officers who will just invite you and then ask you to deposit your passport.”
Swore continued, “I should go and bring a level 17 civil servant; even by the civil service rules, there is no level 17 officer because a level 17 in civil service is a permanent secretary who is politically appointed by the President.
“So you expect such a person to come and stand surety for Sowore. I’m not being arrogant and I’m not bragging. In 1992 when I was a student leader, Tinubu was a senator and I was more powerful than him in the Nigerian society.”
“So how dare them ask me, and I can guarantee you that at that time, Egbetokun probably had just joined the police and he was a sergeant. That’s if he has not forged his age,” he added.
