3o Years, 8 arrests — one voice that refuses to be silenced.
Omoyele Sowore
Speaking up shouldn’t be a crime. Yet, in Nigeria, it’s earned Sowore over 8 arrests in 3 decades
Born on February 16, 1971, in Ese-Odo, Ondo State, Omoyele Sowore is more than an activist. He’s a journalist, writer, teacher, and two-time presidential hopeful who turned personal struggle into a movement for justice and freedom.
Today, he’s once again in the headlines, declared wanted by Lagos police for supporting evicted families in Oworonshoki.
Sowore’s journey began at the University of Lagos between 1989 and 1995, where he studied Geography and Planning.
Even as a student, he was already leading protests, opposing military rule and a $120 million IMF loan that could have shut down most Nigerian universities. Twice expelled and repeatedly arrested, Sowore’s activism became his identity.
After leaving Nigeria, he earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in the U.S. In 2006, he launched Sahara Reporters, an online news platform created to expose corruption and amplify citizen voices.
The site broke major stories on oil theft, election rigging, and abuse of power — helping Nigerians see what powerful people wanted hidden. Today, Sahara Reporters is a symbol of fearless journalism.
Sowore has never stayed behind a screen. He’s marched with ordinary Nigerians from the 2010 Fuel Subsidy protests to the #RevolutionNow movement in 2019.
His African Action Congress (AAC) party, founded in 2018, gave young people a political platform to “Take It Back” — the slogan that became a call for change.
The #RevolutionNow protests called for better governance, free education, fair wages, and an end to corruption. They helped inspire later movements like #EndSARS, where Sowore again stood on the front lines despite arrests and intimidation.
Over three decades, Omoyele Sowore — journalist, activist, and founder of Sahara Reporters, has been arrested more than eight times, each one a punishment for speaking up against corruption, bad governance, and abuse of power in Nigeria. From his days as a student leader to his national campaigns for democracy, every arrest has marked another chapter in his fight for accountability.
- 1992: As President of the University of Lagos Students’ Union, he led over 5,000 students in protests against military rule and fee hikes. He was arrested, tortured, and expelled after security forces killed several protesters.
- 1994: Arrested again for organizing pro-democracy demonstrations during the Abacha regime.
- 2010: Briefly detained for leading protests against fuel price hikes.
- August 3, 2019: Arrested in a midnight DSS raid for launching the #RevolutionNow movement calling for nationwide protests. Charged with treason and held for over 140 days, including solitary confinement.
- December 6, 2019: Rearrested inside a courtroom just a day after being released on bail.
- October 2020: Detained during the #EndSARS protests against police brutality.
- January 1, 2021: Arrested again during a peaceful rally marking the #RevolutionNow anniversary in Abuja.
- September 15, 2024: Detained by immigration officials at Lagos airport upon returning from the U.S.; his passport was seized.
- October 23, 2025: Arrested outside the Federal High Court in Abuja after leading a #FreeNnamdiKanuNow rally. Rearrested the next day after meeting bail conditions.
- November 3, 2025: Declared “wanted” by the Lagos Police for supporting residents displaced by the Oworonshoki demolitions.
Each time, Sowore has walked out of detention stronger — using his freedom to demand the same for others.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other global organizations have repeatedly condemned his arrests as violations of basic human rights, describing him as a “prisoner of conscience” for his peaceful activism.
The Oworonshoki Clash
In October 2025, hundreds of Lagos residents were forcefully evicted during a sudden “drainage clearance” operation. Homes were destroyed without notice. One man reportedly lost his pregnant wife in the chaos.
Sowore joined the victims to protest peacefully — planning marches at Freedom Park, Third Mainland Bridge, and Lekki Tollgate. But police responded with tear gas, mass arrests, and threats.
Lagos police later declared him “wanted” for “disturbing public peace.”
Sowore dismissed the claim, calling it “an attempt to silence dissent” and vowed to face the Commissioner of Police in person.
Despite constant arrests, Sowore continues to speak for the poor, the voiceless, and those forgotten by power.
Through Sahara Reporters and the Take It Back Movement, he’s inspired a generation of truth-tellers and activists — young people who now question authority instead of fearing it.
Sowore’s story isn’t just about politics. It’s about persistence. It’s about a man who refuses to give up on a country that keeps trying to break him.