Omoyele Sowore, activist and the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was detained on Wednesday after honouring an invitation from the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He arrived at the Force Headquarters at about noon with a travel bag and was taken into custody shortly after. The police did not provide any official complaint or show the petition against him, according to Premium Times.
The original police letter accused Sowore of “inciting disturbance,” according to a report by Sahara Reporters. On Monday, a new letter was issued to his lawyer replacing that accusation with allegations of forgery and criminal defamation. 
Civil Society Organisations like Amnesty International have condemned Sowore’s arrest, describing it as arbitrary and politically motivated. The group called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Sowore has faced a series of arrests since 2019 over his activism. In November 2019, Amnesty International declared him a Prisoner of Conscience after he was detained for organising a peaceful protest.
In January, FIJ reported how he was detained and how the police requested his international passport and a Level 17 civil servant guarantor in exchange for his freedom.
His lawyers say they are preparing to challenge the recent detention in court. Supporters from the Take It Back Movement, who accompanied Sowore to the police headquarters, are still demanding his release.
