Omoyele Sowore, a rights activist, has claimed that he and his family have been persecuted for years by the present and previous Nigerian administrations.
On July 13, 2026, a statement on Sowore’s official page contained the accusation.
Sowore claims that he was expelled from the University of Lagos, his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate was seized, and his foreign passport was repeatedly seized.
Additionally, he said that officials prevented him from flying by using court orders and security agencies, which caused him to be separated from his family for an extended period of time.
“They attacked my schooling, which led to two expulsions from the University of Lagos. In the hopes that I would never find work after graduation, they confiscated my NYSC certificate.
“They have kept me apart from my family for long stretches of time by repeatedly seizing my travel documents, particularly my international passport.”
Sowore added that members of his family and associates have also been impacted by his imprisonment, prosecution, abuse, and harassment throughout the years.
“They have killed my brother, imprisoned me, prosecuted me, shot at me, harassed people around me, and attempted to weaken my resolve.”
The supposed persecution, he claimed, had not made him less determined.
However, they have not succeeded. Conviction cannot be overturned by persecution, and these actions will not postpone their day of judgement,” he declared.