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Sowore Turns Down Apostle Suleman’s Bail Offer
The legal team of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has rejected a possible offer by President, Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, to stand surety for the detained activist.
Suleman had in a tweet on Monday expressed concerns that though Sowore had hurt many people in the past — including Suleman himself — he is of the opinion that Sowore should not be allowed to “rot where he is.”
However, one of Sowore’s lawyers, Inibehe Effiong, told The PUNCH that Suleman was not eligible to stand surety for the detained activist.
Effiong said the court was clear that the surety must be resident in Abuja.
He further stated that the cleric had been involved in a public spat with Sowore and therefore, there was conflict of interest.
The lawyer said the challenge Sowore had was that the Federal Government had seriously politicised the matter thereby discouraging people from standing surety for his client.
Effiong, however, said he was confident that the activist would meet his bail conditions soon.
He said, “His (Suleman’s) offer cannot be considered let alone accepted. The man who is making the offer is on record of having had a public altercation with Sowore. So, there will be no basis for Sowore to consider it.
“The court stated that the surety must be resident in Abuja and the last time I checked, he was not resident in Abuja. So, I am not sure he is eligible to stand surety for him. So there is no way Sowore can accept such an offer.
“So, we are turning it down and we are not even considering it. The way the Federal Government politicised the matter, made it difficult for the bail conditions to be met. But we are in the process of perfecting the bail.”
Sowore had in a report published through his platform, accused Suleman of engaging in extra-marital affairs with a woman known as Stephanie Otobo.
The activist, who is the Convener of #RevolutionNow, was arrested by the Department of State Services on August 2, 2019, for allegedly trying to overthrow the President Muhammadu Buhari government.
The activist, who was the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has remained in the custody of the DSS ever since.
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
