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Sowore Hits Back At ‘Illegal’ IGP Egbetokun Over Threats, Calls Tenure Extension 2027 Election Rigging Plot, Warns ‘Impunity Will Consume Him’
Sowore has fired back, asserting that the police chief fails to grasp the true power of the people against systemic impunity in the country.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has responded to a threat from Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, who targeted him and other activists criticizing the National Assembly’s decision to extend his tenure.
During an event on Wednesday, Egbetokun labeled his critics as “enemies of Nigeria,” warning that their “cups will soon be full.”
Sowore has fired back, asserting that the police chief fails to grasp the true power of the people against systemic impunity in the country.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday night, he wrote: “It appears that Kayode Egbetokun, the Illegal General of Nigeria Police Force has yet to grasp that the collective power of the people outweighs that of the people in power, amid his placement in an unlawful tenure extension aimed at 2027 election rigging plot that is obvious to Nigerians, he seems emboldened by the impunity that is bound to consume him.”
He ended his post with the hashtags #EgbetokunMustGo and #RevolutionNow.
Controversial Tenure Extension
In 2024, the Nigerian National Assembly amended the Police Act to allow the IGP to serve a fixed four-year term, regardless of age or years of service.
This amendment enabled Egbetokun, appointed on October 31, 2023, to remain in office until 2027, despite reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 in September 2024.
Critics, including civil society organisations, legal experts, and Sowore argued that the amendment was politically motivated and could erode public trust in the police force.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), subsequently labelled Egbetokun as an “illegal IGP” on social media, challenging the legality of his extended tenure.
In response, the police filed 17 counts of cybercrime charges against Sowore, accusing him of making false statements intended to incite public disorder.
Sowore was detained after honouring a police invitation related to a separate matter. He was later arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court granted him bail set at ₦10 million.
Legal experts have questioned the propriety of the charges against Sowore, noting that the Police Act prohibits officers from initiating legal proceedings related to their official duties without prior government approval.
Additionally, the charges contained errors, such as misspelling Sowore’s name and misusing legal terms, which further fuelled public skepticism.
Following his release, Sowore joined protests demanding Egbetokun’s resignation, highlighting ongoing tensions between the activist and the police leadership.