The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has publicly reaffirmed that activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore remains a wanted man, vowing that the police will “do everything within the ambit of the law” to arrest him.
The declaration comes after what the Commissioner described as a failed agreement for Sowore to voluntarily report for questioning. Jimoh stated that while Sowore’s lawyer had made contact, the activist himself did not present himself to the police as expected.
“My declaration that Sowore is wanted is still in force,” Jimoh said during a televised interview on Wednesday. “Throughout yesterday he has failed to report, and we are going to do everything within the ambit of the law to get him arrested, investigated, and prosecuted for these offences.”
Sowore was declared wanted on Monday for allegedly “causing a disturbance of public peace and acts to commit a serious felony by planning to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge.” The police maintain that their investigative process must be concluded before any potential arrest is made.
Why It Matters
The police’s insistence on pursuing Sowore for allegedly planning to obstruct traffic appears to be a disproportionate response, suggesting the real offence is his continued role as a prominent government critic. By framing the pursuit as strictly procedural—citing a broken agreement to report—the authorities attempt to project an image of lawful diligence.
However, this tactic risks backfiring, painting Sowore not as a fugitive, but as a principled dissenter facing a politically motivated hunt. The vow to use “everything within the law” will be closely scrutinized; in Nigeria’s tense political climate, the line between lawful pursuit and the suppression of dissent is often perilously thin.
