posted 12th April 2025
Nigerian Police Summon Mr Olumide Ogunsanwo Over Social Media Video
Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), through its Force Intelligence Department (FID), has issued a summons for Mr Olumide Ogunsanwo, known on social media as @seaking303, to appear for an interview on Monday, 14 April 2025. The request, detailed in an official letter dated 10 April 2025, concerns a video Ogunsanwo posted about Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). The summons also requires Ogunsanwo’s surety, African Action Congress activist Owoyele Sowore, to accompany him to the FID office in Garki, Abuja.
The police action has provoked strong criticism, with Sowore denouncing the summons as another attempt to harass and silence Ogunsanwo. In a statement shared on social media, Sowore expressed his dismay, accusing the NPF of targeting the young Nigerian for exercising his right to free speech. “I find this despicable that they keep harassing this young man,” Sowore wrote. “The reason they want to persecute him further is because he has refused to bow to their devices.”
The FID’s letter refers to a prior case from February 2025, in which Ogunsanwo was granted administrative bail on charges of cyberstalking, criminal defamation, and criminal incitement. The police claim Ogunsanwo failed to comply with the terms of his bail by not appearing for further investigation on 24 February 2025. The FID has now requested his presence for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police at the FID office in Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja.
In response, Sowore informed the police that he would be unable to accompany Ogunsanwo on the requested date due to a family bereavement. Instead, he proposed to attend with Ogunsanwo on 21 April 2025. Sowore’s reply, shared publicly, was unequivocal: “I am appalled that this young Nigerian continues to be persecuted by the Nigeria Police Force in violation of his freedom of speech.”
The case has attracted significant attention on social media, with many Nigerians condemning what they view as an overreach by the NPF. Critics argue that the repeated targeting of Ogunsanwo reflects a wider pattern of authorities using vague charges like “cyberstalking” to suppress dissent and restrict free expression. Sowore, a prominent activist and former presidential candidate, has long been a vocal opponent of such tactics, often rallying support under the banner of his #RevolutionNow movement.
In a fervent call to action, Sowore hinted at future resistance, stating, “One day, every one of us will be at the police FHQ in massive numbers never seen before; one day, everybody will stand up to the brutes in our country and say enough is enough!” His words echo a growing sentiment among some Nigerians who believe state institutions are being used to intimidate ordinary citizens.
