Sowore Accuses EFCC of “Hunting Down” Citizens Over Alleged Cyberbullying

AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the detention and arraignment of two people accused of cyberbullying the agency.

Sowore said he attended two separate court proceedings involving the defendants before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where he alleged that both individuals had spent close to 30 days in detention before being brought before the court.

According to him, rather than being allowed to return home while their cases continue, both defendants were remanded in prison custody.

Sowore identified one of the defendants as Maryam Isa Shehu, a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK). He said she was remanded at Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was sent to Kuje Prison.

He said both defendants are expected to remain in custody until August 31.

Sowore described Maryam’s situation as particularly concerning because she is expected to begin her final university examinations on Saturday.

“What makes Maryam’s situation even more disturbing is that she is a final-year university student who is due to begin her final examinations this Saturday,” Sowore said.

“None of that appeared to matter.”

The AAC candidate accused the EFCC, under its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of going beyond its anti-corruption mandate by pursuing citizens over criticism and alleged cyberbullying.

“The @officialEFCC under Ola Olukoyede is inherently evil,” Sowore said.

He questioned why an agency established to fight financial crimes would be involved in the detention and prosecution of citizens over alleged cyberbullying.

“An anti-corruption agency should be fighting corruption, not turning itself into an institution for hunting down, detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged ‘cyberbullying,’” he said.

Sowore further questioned the decision to keep the defendants in prison after they had already spent nearly a month in detention before their arraignment.

“What kind of institution detains a university student for nearly a month, arraigns her for allegedly cyberbullying the agency, and then seeks to keep her behind bars while her final examinations are about to begin?” he asked.

The comments come as the EFCC continues to pursue cases involving alleged online offences, while concerns over the use of criminal proceedings in response to criticism and social media activity continue to generate public debate.

Sowore’s comments are his account of the court proceedings and the circumstances surrounding the defendants’ detention. The allegations against the defendants remain before the court.

Tupac Shakur Murder Trial Begins Nearly 30 Years After Rapper’s Death

The long-awaited trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the former Los Angeles-area gang leader accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, has begun in a Las Vegas courtroom.

The trial opened on Monday, nearly three decades after Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas and about a week after jury selection was completed.

Davis, who was arrested in September 2024, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge involving the use of a deadly weapon in connection with gang activity.

In his opening statement, prosecutor Binu Palal told jurors that Davis had a strong motive to target Shakur following an earlier confrontation involving Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, Davis’ nephew.

Palal alleged that the confrontation, which occurred before the fatal shooting, fuelled Davis’ anger towards Shakur and those around him. According to the prosecution, Davis obtained a firearm and handed it to Anderson, who was subsequently involved in the shooting at the vehicle carrying Shakur.

Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996, while travelling through Las Vegas in a BMW with Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight after attending a Mike Tyson boxing match. The rapper died six days later at the age of 25.

Palal told the jury that the case remained unresolved for years partly because of the culture of silence surrounding gang activity.

He argued that “silence means survival” in the world of gangs, but said Davis eventually broke that silence through interviews and a book in which he allegedly discussed his involvement in the events surrounding Shakur’s death.

The prosecutor also read from a passage attributed to Davis in which he allegedly described the attack as retaliation for the earlier confrontation involving his nephew.

Davis’ defence lawyer, Michael Sanft, presented a sharply different account, arguing that prosecutors were presenting what he described as fictional details as established facts.

Sanft attacked the police investigation that eventually led to Davis’ arrest, alleging that important investigative records were missing and accusing law enforcement agencies involved in the case of misconduct and incompetence.

The defence also questioned the handling and testing of the alleged murder weapon.

Sanft alleged that Los Angeles Police Department detective Long was provided with a “fake” gun to test, raising questions about the reliability of evidence connected to the firearm.

He also criticised the work of another detective, Clifford Mogg, describing the investigation as “biased, sloppy and incomplete.” Sanft alleged that Mogg failed to properly document some information received during the investigation.

The defence further challenged the credibility of prosecution witnesses, arguing that some had criminal records, financial motivations and histories of making inconsistent statements.

Davis has maintained his not-guilty plea as the prosecution and defence present competing accounts of what happened on the night Shakur was shot.

Tupac Shakur’s murder has remained one of the most prominent unsolved cases in music history. The rapper, whose real name was Tupac Amaru Shakur, was one of the most influential figures in hip-hop before his death at the age of 25.

For decades, investigators were unable to bring charges over the killing, despite numerous theories and years of public speculation.

Davis’ arrest in September 2024 marked a major development in the case and eventually paved the way for the current trial.

The proceedings are expected to examine the events leading up to the shooting, the alleged involvement of Davis and others, witness accounts, police evidence and statements Davis made about the case over the years.

The prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, while the defence will seek to convince jurors that the investigation and evidence presented against Davis are unreliable.

Nearly 30 years after Tupac’s death, the trial could provide the most detailed examination yet of the events surrounding the rapper’s final hours.

Former Syria President Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death for War Crimes

A Syrian court has sentenced ousted former President Bashar al-Assad and his younger brother, Maher al-Assad, to death in absentia over crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Syria’s 14-year conflict.

The verdict, delivered on Tuesday by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, marks the first death sentences handed down against Assad or members of his inner circle since the Assad family’s decades-long rule came to an end.

During the court session, which was broadcast live on Syrian state television, Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan said Bashar al-Assad had used state institutions to carry out serious violations during the conflict.

“Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the judge said while delivering the verdict.

Assad’s younger brother, Maher al-Assad, was also sentenced to death in absentia in the same case. Maher previously commanded Syria’s 4th Armored Division, an elite military unit that played a major role in the government’s response to opposition forces during the conflict.

Syrian opposition activists have accused the division of involvement in killings, torture, extortion and other abuses. It was also accused of operating detention facilities and becoming involved in illicit activities, including drug trafficking.

Also sentenced to death was Atef Najib, Assad’s maternal cousin and a former Syrian army brigadier general who headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa province in 2011.

Najib was convicted over his role in the security crackdown in Daraa, where protests against Assad’s government began before spreading across the country.

The case dates back to the early stages of the Syrian uprising, when a group of teenagers in Daraa were arrested and tortured after reportedly writing anti-government graffiti on a school wall.

The arrests and alleged torture became one of the catalysts for mass demonstrations against Assad’s government and its security forces.

The government’s response to the demonstrations was met with increasing violence, eventually transforming the uprising into a devastating civil war that lasted for more than a decade.

The conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions of Syrians both within the country and abroad.

Najib was present in court when the sentence was announced. He reportedly stood inside a prisoner’s cage wearing a prison uniform as the judge read the verdict.

Security was tight around the courthouse in central Damascus, while a crowd gathered outside to hear the court’s decision.

Unlike Najib, Bashar and Maher al-Assad were not present during the proceedings.

The two brothers fled Syria following the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024 after a rapid rebel offensive brought an end to the family’s more than five decades in power.

Following their departure, Russia granted the Assads political asylum. Syria’s new authorities have since called on Moscow to hand the former president and his brother over to face justice.

The sentencing therefore comes at a significant moment for Syria, as the country’s new leadership attempts to address allegations of abuses committed during the Assad era.

Atef Najib, who was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury in April 2011, is among the highest-ranking former Assad-era officials to face trial in Syria since the fall of the government.

His involvement in the Daraa crackdown has made him a significant figure in the prosecution of former members of the Assad security apparatus.

The Syrian conflict began with protests in 2011 as part of the wider wave of uprisings across the Arab world. What began as demonstrations against Assad’s government developed into a complex war involving government forces, opposition groups, extremist organisations and foreign military powers.

The war caused enormous destruction across Syria, with major cities and communities suffering extensive damage.

Millions of Syrians were also forced to flee their homes, creating one of the largest displacement crises in the modern world.

The fall of Assad in December 2024 brought the conflict’s central political chapter to an end, but questions surrounding accountability for alleged atrocities committed during the war have remained.

The death sentences announced in Damascus could therefore become an important test of how Syria’s new authorities intend to pursue justice against senior figures from the former regime.

However, because Bashar and Maher al-Assad are currently outside Syria, the sentences cannot immediately be carried out unless they are returned to Syrian custody.

The new Syrian authorities have repeatedly sought international cooperation in bringing former senior regime officials back to the country.

For many Syrians who suffered during the conflict, the court proceedings represent an opportunity to seek accountability for years of violence and repression.

For supporters and members of the former regime, however, the prosecutions are likely to remain highly controversial, particularly given the political transition and the circumstances surrounding the Assad family’s removal from power.

The latest verdict is nevertheless one of the strongest legal actions yet taken against the former Syrian leadership and could pave the way for further prosecutions of officials accused of abuses during the conflict.

Sowore Challenges SERAP Over Fresh Call for Presidential Candidates to Declare Assets

Sowore reacts to SERAP asset declaration

African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has challenged the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over its latest call for all presidential candidates in the 2027 election to publicly declare their assets and reject vote-buying.

SERAP had urged all 19 presidential candidates recently announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish details of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children under 18.

The organisation also called on the candidates to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.

In its open letter dated August 8, 2026, SERAP argued that Nigerians should be able to assess presidential candidates based on their policies, competence, integrity, character and vision rather than their financial capacity.

The organisation said voluntary asset disclosure would allow voters to identify potential conflicts of interest, improve confidence in the electoral process and provide a basis for monitoring changes in candidates’ wealth if they eventually assume public office.

SERAP also urged the candidates to sign public integrity pledges, instruct their campaign organisations and supporters not to offer material inducements for votes, and report credible allegations of vote-buying to the relevant authorities.

However, Sowore has questioned why SERAP is making the demand to all candidates again without addressing what he described as the organisation’s silence when some candidates previously failed to disclose their assets.

Reacting to the SERAP statement, Sowore said his assets had already been declared when the organisation made a similar call in 2023.

“My Assets were declared when you made the call in 2023. Others refused to declare their assets, yet you kept completely mute about them,” Sowore said.

He then challenged the organisation to take legal action against candidates who refused to comply with the demand.

“Why not sue them to force them to declare their asset before election?” he asked.

Sowore’s response shifts the focus from the general principle of asset declaration to the consistency with which the demand is being applied to political candidates.

The AAC candidate has previously positioned transparency and accountability as major issues in his political campaigns, particularly in his criticism of Nigeria’s political establishment.

His latest reaction suggests that while he supports the principle of public scrutiny of political candidates, he wants organisations advocating for transparency to apply the same standard consistently across the political spectrum.

SERAP, in its latest statement, listed President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sowore of the AAC and other presidential candidates among those it wants to see publish their assets before the 2027 election.

The organisation maintained that presidential candidates seeking control over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be prepared to subject their personal financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny.

SERAP also raised concerns about vote-buying, particularly in the context of Nigeria’s economic hardship, arguing that poverty could make vulnerable voters more susceptible to financial inducements during elections.

According to the organisation, Nigerians should not be forced to choose between candidates based on who has the financial capacity to spend the most during an election.

Sowore’s response, however, places emphasis on what he sees as the need for enforcement rather than simply issuing another public appeal.

His question to SERAP is whether candidates who previously refused to disclose their assets should be taken to court and compelled to do so before asking Nigerians for their votes.

The exchange comes as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with candidates and political parties beginning to strengthen their national structures and communicate their campaign messages to voters.

For Sowore, the issue also provides another opportunity to highlight his longstanding argument that political leaders should be subjected to greater scrutiny and accountability.

The AAC presidential candidate is expected to continue using his campaign to demand greater transparency from political office holders while presenting his own political programme to Nigerians ahead of the election.

The debate over asset declaration is likely to remain part of the wider conversation surrounding the 2027 election, particularly as voters increasingly demand information about the backgrounds, financial interests and records of those seeking public office.

For now, Sowore wants SERAP to go beyond calling on candidates to publish their assets and explain why those who previously failed to comply with similar demands were not pursued through legal means.

His message was clear: if asset declaration is important enough to demand from every presidential candidate, then organisations advocating for transparency should also be prepared to enforce the standard equally.

NDLEA Opens N480bn Meth Lab to Journalists as Court Inspects Massive Ogun Drug Factory

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday granted journalists access to a massive industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory uncovered in Ogun State, offering a rare look inside what the agency describes as one of Nigeria’s largest illicit drug production facilities.

The laboratory, located deep inside a remote forest in Ijebu Ode, was dismantled by NDLEA operatives in May after an extensive operation. The agency estimates the facility and its equipment to be worth approximately ₦480 billion.

The inspection formed part of ongoing legal proceedings against suspects linked to the illegal drug factory.

During the visit, suspects connected to the case were brought to the site by officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for a special court hearing conducted within the premises of the laboratory.

The proceedings were presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Kakaki, accompanied by prosecutors, defence counsel and other court officials, toured the facility to examine the crime scene and inspect exhibits tendered by the NDLEA as evidence in the prosecution.

The visit enabled the court to observe firsthand the scale of the clandestine operation and the sophisticated equipment allegedly used in the production of methamphetamine.

Among the items displayed during the inspection were industrial cooking cylinders, large chemical storage drums and tanks, concrete ovens, measuring scales, welding helmets, silicone sealants, nose masks and bags of caustic soda.

Investigators said the equipment formed part of a highly organised production line capable of manufacturing large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution within and outside Nigeria.

The NDLEA has described the discovery as a major breakthrough in its ongoing campaign against organised drug trafficking and the establishment of clandestine drug laboratories across the country.

Officials say the operation highlights the increasing sophistication of drug syndicates operating in Nigeria and underscores the agency’s determination to dismantle illegal drug production networks.

The case remains before the Federal High Court as the prosecution continues to present evidence against the defendants.

The NDLEA has reiterated its commitment to working with other security agencies and the judiciary to ensure those involved in the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs are brought to justice.

Credited: The Cable

PHOTOS: Sowore Returns to Court, Vows to Resist ‘Tinubu Regime’ Over Hardship and Injustice

Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that he remains committed to challenging what he described as the “Tinubu regime,” saying he will not be intimidated despite his ongoing legal battles.

Sowore made the statement on Tuesday as he arrived in court for the continuation of his case.

Sharing photos from the court premises on his social media pages, the activist said he and his supporters were determined to continue resisting what they consider oppression and bad governance in Nigeria.

“We are back in court today to confront the Tinubu regime,” Sowore wrote.

“We refuse to bow to their intimidation while Nigerians endure hardship, hunger, and injustice.”

The presidential candidate said his court appearance would not deter him from speaking out against government policies, insisting that Nigerians have a responsibility to oppose what he called a failed system.

“We owe ourselves a duty to resist oppression and end this failed system,” he added.

Sowore has remained one of the fiercest critics of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, frequently condemning government policies, the rising cost of living, insecurity and economic hardship across the country.

His latest court appearance comes amid his continued political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, where he has repeatedly indicated his intention to contest for the presidency under the African Action Congress (AAC).

The activist accompanied his post with the hashtag #Sowore2027, reinforcing his campaign message as supporters gathered at the court.

As of the time of filing this report, details of the proceedings were still emerging.