Abubakar Marshal, lawyer to human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Bola Tinubu-led government of deliberately shrinking Nigeria’s civic space by prosecuting citizens who seek accountability from public officials.

Speaking after a court session in Abuja on Tuesday, Marshal criticized the government for prioritizing the silencing of critics over addressing worsening insecurity in the country. He noted that bandits openly kidnap citizens and post videos online, yet authorities focus on prosecuting individuals calling for good governance.

“It is embarrassing that a government that negotiates with bandits and pays ransom would arrest and prosecute innocent Nigerians demanding accountability,” Marshal said.

He emphasized that Nigerians have a constitutional right to express opinions on matters of public importance without fear of intimidation and warned against attempts to curtail such freedoms. Marshal recalled a 1991 sedition case in which President Tinubu, then an activist, defended his own right to free expression, questioning why the administration now seeks to deny others the same rights.

Regarding Sowore’s current case, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged defamation and cyberstalking of President Tinubu, Marshal described the charge as defective and vowed to urge the court to strike it out for lacking merit.

The Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to Sowore on self-recognizance. Marshal argued that under Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), bail cannot be denied solely because of the seriousness of the alleged offence. He cited both local and international precedents where individuals facing serious charges were granted bail, noting that Sowore had no history of jumping bail and had consistently attended all court sessions.

The defence also dismissed claims that granting bail could lead to further offences or public danger, citing the constitutional presumption of innocence under Sections 36, 39, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.

The court noted that Sowore’s passport remained with the registry and there was no evidence that his statements posed a threat to national security. The matter was adjourned to January 19, 2026.