The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday granted bail to online publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.

Aside from a N200 million bail with two sureties, one of them must be a traditional ruler in Sowore's community in
Ese-Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State.

The second surety, the court ruled, must have landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Also, Sowore is to surrender his international passport to the court's deputy registrar for safekeeping. The court held that both sureties must be verified by counsel to the prosecution, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN.

Following Sowore's absence from court, the judge on June 16, 2026, revoked the bail he had granted Sowore on "self-recognition" last December. Thereafter, he issued a bench warrant for the politician's arrest after the politician failed to appear in court for his trial on allegations of cybercrime and criminal defamation.

Last Tuesday, Justice Umar ordered that Sowore be kept in the Kuje Correctional Centre until his motion for a stay of execution of the order revoking his bail and bench warrant is determined.

Justice Umar dismissed Sowore's other application seeking the judge's withdrawal from further presiding over his trial on the ground of alleged bias.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore over alleged criminal defamation arising from claims that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts made on his official X and Facebook accounts.

The defendant's lawyer, R. O.

Adakole, however, appealed to the judge for Sowore's release to him so he could obtain his passport from the US embassy in Lagos.

Justice Umar Mohammed adjourned to July 6, 2026, for continuation of hearing.