The lawyer lamented the court actions against Sowore and the media organisation over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering, questioning why similar measures have not been taken against notorious bandits like Bello Turji, who continue to terrorize parts of Northern Nigeria.
Lawyer, journalist, and author Richard Akinnola has criticized the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, for targeting human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and SaharaReporters.
The lawyer lamented the court actions against Sowore and the media organisation over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering, questioning why similar measures have not been taken against notorious bandits like Bello Turji, who continue to terrorize parts of Northern Nigeria.
In a statement, Akinnola described the IGP’s actions as “unprecedented in a democracy” and expressed concern that the move appeared to be a personal battle against Sowore, framed in legal terms.
He highlighted that during previous military regimes under Generals Babangida and Abacha, security agencies never sought to freeze the accounts of media houses or human rights and pro-democracy organizations.
“It is disturbing and disheartening that the current IGP has taken such an unprecedented step in a democracy against Omoyele Sowore and SaharaReporters,” Akinnola said.
“Why has he not taken such a step against Bello Turji, the terrorist rampaging the northern parts of the country?” the lawyer asked.
“Has he filed a similar action against him on terrorism financing? Why is the IGP usurping the duties of the National Security Adviser and the EFCC by going to court, accusing Sowore and Sahara reporters of terrorism financing and money laundering? Who does not know that this is just a personal battle, couched in legalese, particularly in view of the battles that Sowore has been waging against him?”
Akinnola warned that the IGP’s actions could reflect poorly on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He noted that the police’s simultaneous pursuit of Sowore, SaharaReporters, and former ThisDay journalist Azuka Ogujiuba, who has faced harassment and arrests, presents the government in a negative light as an aggressor against the media.
“No matter how this matter eventually ends, this action of the IGP would definitely cast the Tinubu government in a bad light,” Akinnola said, adding that even those who may not fully agree with Sowore’s methods would see the IGP’s personal vendetta as wrong optics for a democratic government.
He also expressed concern for the Ministry of Information, led by Idris Mohammed, stating, “I’m sure the Minister of Information, a man I respect a lot for his decency and level-headedness, would be very embarrassed at how to defend these egregious actions of the IGP.”
He said, “Throughout the media battles against military dictatorship, the police, SSS (State Security Service) and the DMI (Defence Intelligence Agency) under the Generals Babangida and Abacha juntas did not approach the court to freeze the accounts of media houses they shut down. Neither did such security agencies take similar steps against human rights and pro-democracy bodies which were fighting the military juntas.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered six banks to provide Egbetokun with comprehensive account documents and transaction records linked to Sowore from January 2024 to the present.
The transaction is to cover inflows and outflows, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the directive following an ex parte motion filed by the IGP’s lawyer, Wisdom Madaki.
In the motion, the IGP stated that Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, is under investigation for alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and other fraudulent activities.
Justice Nwite ruled that the application was meritorious, granting the police access to the requested financial information.
“I have listened to the submission of the counsel to the applicant, and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence,” the judge said.
“I’m of the view and so hold that the application is meritorious. The prayer is hereby granted as prayed.”
NAN reports that in the ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, the IGP named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the first and second defendants, respectively.
The motion also included United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd as the third to eighth defendants.
Egbetokun sought “an order directing the following banks; UBA Plc, GTB plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Limited, Moniepoint and Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited to furnished the applicant through the office of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit account opening package/mandate card, certified true copy of the statement of account reflecting transfers with account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January, 2024 till date.”
The IGP, citing five grounds in his motion, stated that Sowore is under investigation for “terrorism financing, money laundering, and other fraudulent activities.”