By Our Correspondent
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Nigeria Police Force of denying him access to adequate medical care following an alleged violent assault that resulted in a broken arm while in police custody.
Sowore, who was arrested on Wednesday, August 7, 2025, after reportedly honouring an invitation by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, made the claims during a press visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
According to Sowore, at around 6 a.m. on Thursday, a team of police officers forcefully entered his detention cell and allegedly broke his right hand in the process. He further alleged that since the incident occurred, he has been denied access to proper medical attention.
“Since I came here yesterday, they broke my hand and they have not been able to bring a doctor. They brought a nurse who bandaged my hand, and now they brought the media. Nobody requested for media. They are the ones who brought you people. The Nigeria police has no integrity,” Sowore said in a video currently circulating online, shared by News Central.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction with the current state of governance in Nigeria, Sowore added: “I’m ashamed of the president of Nigeria, that under his watch, Nigeria has become this kind of foolish theatre.”
Sowore’s arrest and alleged mistreatment have sparked nationwide outrage, with protesters storming the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday to demand his immediate release. Demonstrators described his detention as unlawful and an attack on freedom of expression and civic engagement.
The police, in a bid to counter the growing criticism, organized a press briefing and subsequently led journalists to Sowore’s detention cell where he made the public statements.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official comment from the police regarding the specific allegation of assault and denial of medical care.
