The Nigeria government has dropped the treasonable felony charges against the founder of the African Action Congress (AAC) political party, Omoyele Sowore and co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Thursday withdrew the case against Sowore through a letter filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“By the power conferred on me under Section 174 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 107 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and all other powers enabling me on that behalf, I Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN intend to discontinue Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019,” the letter which was dated Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 but filed on Thursday, 15 February, 2024 read.
Sowore’s trial was started by the immediate-past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The trial was, however, said to have floundered without any tangible progress for more than four years.
The Sahara Reporters publisher can now retrieve his passport from the court and travel outside Nigeria.
“Five years ago, the Federal Government of Nigeria commenced a fruitlessly malicious, tendencious and idiosyncratic treason trial (Persecution) against me and several other revolutionary comrades across Nigeria,” Sowore wrote on X.
“We stood our ground and began a historic journey to liberate our country, despite threats, assassination of family members, state sponsored violence and targeted attacks by security forces, we promised never to back down.
“Today, we have been vindicated on one front, the Nigerian government has terminated its case against me, but we will not terminate our struggle for justice and liberty of our compatriots.”
