ANALYSIS: Between Sowore’s torture claim and the police denial

By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho –

A video posted on August 8, 2025, by Nigerian activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore on X (formerly Twitter) sparked a wave of outrage and debate. In the footage, Sowore appears with a bandaged arm and claims he was assaulted and tortured while in police custody. The post quickly gained traction online, with many commentators presenting it as proof of custodial abuse.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) responded the same day with an official press release, Ref. No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.6/483, dated August 8, 2025. In it, the Force stated that Sowore had been arrested on “credible, corroborated” allegations, including forgery and cyberstalking, and that his arrest complied with constitutional and legal requirements. According to the police, Sowore was released on bail within the 48-hour constitutional window, duly informed of the charges against him, and is expected to appear before a court soon.

The statement categorically rejected the torture allegation, calling it “false” and “grossly misleading” Police maintained that the bandage seen in the viral video was among Sowore’s personal belongings before his arrest and that he was not subjected to any form of inhuman or degrading treatment in custody. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, the release noted, ordered an internal inquiry into how Sowore had access to the bandage while detained.

The NPF also stated that, in the spirit of transparency, it dispatched two separate independent medical teams—on August 7 and 8—to examine Sowore. Both times, according to the police, he declined the evaluation, and these refusals were officially documented. The Force said that was further evidence that its actions were professional and in line with legal safeguards.

While the video confirms that Sowore publicly alleged torture and appeared with an arm injury, and the police statement is authentic and traceable to official channels, neither side’s account has been independently verified. There is currently no public medical report from a neutral examiner establishing when or how the injury occurred. Likewise, the police assertion about the bandage’s prior possession has not been supported by custody logs or chain-of-custody records made available to the public.

Rights groups and legal advocates, including Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, have since called for an impartial investigation, urging the release of independent medical assessments, CCTV footage, and detention records. Without such evidence, the claim remains unproven: it is clear that Sowore made the allegation and that the police denied it, but the underlying question—whether torture occurred—cannot be resolved on the basis of the information currently available.