By Muhammad Mamman
The Nigerian federal government has presented a list of television interviews, online publications and electronic materials linked to political commentator Reno Omokri as part of its ongoing cyberstalking case against activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore.
Court documents seen on Monday show prosecutors detailing Omokri’s media engagements, including televised interviews and digital content shared across multiple platforms, which they argue form part of the evidentiary trail in the high-profile case.
The materials were submitted as the trial resumed in Abuja, with government lawyers seeking to demonstrate what they described as a coordinated pattern of online activity connected to the allegations against Sowore, a former presidential candidate and founder of the Sahara Reporters news platform.
Sowore is facing charges under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws, with prosecutors alleging that certain online publications and electronic communications amounted to cyberstalking and harassment. He has consistently denied the accusations, describing the case as politically motivated and an attempt to silence dissent.
His legal team criticised the inclusion of Omokri’s media appearances, arguing that public commentary and interviews should not be conflated with criminal conduct. They urged the court to dismiss what they called “speculative and irrelevant” evidence.
The case has drawn widespread attention from civil society groups and press freedom advocates, who say it underscores growing concerns about the use of cybercrime legislation to target journalists and government critics in Africa’s most populous nation.
The court adjourned proceedings to a later date to allow both sides to review the newly submitted materials.
