Falana Urges AGF To Drop Cyberbullying Charges Against Sowore

Human rights activist, Femi Falana, (SAN) has asked the the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) to withdraw the cyberbullying charge brought against Omoyele Sowore by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Speaking via a letter dated March 4, 2025, and addressed to Fagbemi and acknowledged by the AGF’s Office, Federal Ministry of Justice, on Wednesday, Falana stated that a police officer could not institute a case in his own personal interest.

He subsequently urged the Federal Government to discontinue the suit under Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/23/2025 against the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress.

The letter reads in part, “Dear Honourable Minister, it is instructive to note that the Charge filed by the Inspector General of Police against a Nigerian citizen who simply exercised his right of criticising him is a gross violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Police Act, 2020 and Regulation 367 of the Nigeria Police Regulation which provides that, ‘No police officer shall institute any legal proceeding in his own personal interest or in connection with matters arising out of his public duties.

“Indeed, Section 174 of the Constitution which vests in your good self the powers to institute and undertake any criminal proceedings personally or through officers in your department stipulates in Section 174 (3) that such prosecution shall be in regard to the public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.”