Dare Babalola
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has raised alarm over an alleged assassination plot against him.
He described it as part of a longstanding pattern of intimidation and violence targeting dissenting voices in Nigeria.
In a post shared on Friday via X (formerly Twitter), Sowore referenced revelations made by Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, popularly known as “@IjeleSpeaks2,” asserting that the alleged plot was not an isolated incident but rather evidence of a broader, coordinated effort to silence critics of the system.
“The assassination plot against me… is not an isolated incident. It is part of a consistent and deeply troubling pattern of targeted intimidation and violence aimed at silencing dissent and crushing voices that challenge injustice,” Sowore wrote.
He added that the development reaffirmed his long-held position that there exists an organised campaign to intimidate, harm, or eliminate individuals who oppose oppression, noting that such threats are “deliberate, calculated, and sustained.”
Sowore recounted his first encounter with Ofoegbu during the trial of Nnamdi Kanu at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he said he was denied access to the courtroom by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services.
According to him, Ofoegbu confronted him outside the courtroom, but the situation was peacefully resolved, and the two later became acquainted.
The activist further alleged that Ofoegbu himself had been targeted in 2024 by certain actors who accused him of cybercrime. He claimed that Ofoegbu was arrested in Abuja, remanded in custody, and later transferred to Lagos under stringent bail conditions that were difficult to meet.
Sowore said legal intervention by senior lawyer Femi Falana, alongside efforts by activist Deji Adeyanju and himself, eventually secured Ofoegbu’s bail.
He further alleged that authorities later planned to transfer Ofoegbu to Awka prison under fresh charges, a move he claimed was intended to endanger his life.
“Tickets had already been arranged on Air Peace for four warders to escort him on what could have been a fatal journey. I refused to back down, and together we resisted. In the end, we prevailed; we saved a life,” he stated.
Sowore also detailed what he described as multiple assassination attempts and acts of violence against him over the years, including alleged shootings by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and severe beatings aimed at silencing him.
He referenced the killing of his brother, Felix Olajide Sowore, in September 2021, alleging that subsequent actions by certain individuals were part of a cover-up to shield those responsible.
The activist further traced the pattern of threats back to his student days at the University of Lagos during the military era. He recounted a 1993 incident in which a Mobile Police unit allegedly opened fire on student activists, injuring two individuals.
He also alleged that, in 1994, elements linked to the regime of former military ruler Sani Abacha, in collaboration with university authorities and the Lagos State Police Command, mobilised cult groups to target him.
According to Sowore, these incidents form part of a broader pattern of suppression that has evolved over time, with threats extending beyond him to those in his circle when direct attacks became difficult.
“These were not random acts; they were calculated efforts to silence me, to force me into retreat, and to break my resolve as a public conscience and a revolutionary,” he said.
While noting that Ofoegbu did not personally disclose full details of the alleged plot to him, Sowore maintained that he had long been aware of repeated threats to his life and believed such plans remain ongoing.
He urged that the revelations should not be dismissed, insisting they point to systemic issues regarding the safety of outspoken critics in the country.
“The struggle for total liberation is already in motion. Nothing can stop it,” he declared.
Sowore also referenced a video accompanying the post, which he said showed a personal visit to Ofoegbu at Ikoyi Prison in 2024.
