Fresh allegations have emerged against President Bola Tinubu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, and Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, over the detention conditions of activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Sources familiar with the matter alleged that the three men are behind moves aimed at placing Sowore under the direct control of the secret police and weakening his political influence ahead of future elections.
According to the sources, the alleged plan involved ensuring that Sowore was placed in a section of the Kuje Correctional Centre considered unsafe and unfit, with the expectation that his legal team would challenge the conditions in court, thereby creating grounds for the DSS to seek an order transferring him into its custody.
“The instruction came from DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi. The idea was to keep Sowore in terrible conditions so that once his lawyers complain before the court, the DSS would apply to have him transferred to its custody,” one source alleged.
“The ultimate goal is to have direct control over him. There are fears about what could happen if that objective is achieved,” the source added.
Another source alleged that Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila is acting on behalf of President Bola Tinubu on the matter, while Ajayi is responsible for executing the operational aspects of the alleged strategy.
“Gbajabiamila is taking brief for President Tinubu on this issue, while Ajayi is doing the groundwork. The belief is that Sowore’s activities and influence among young Nigerians have become a matter of concern within the administration,” the source alleged.
The sources further claimed that the moves form part of broader political calculations aimed at preventing Sowore from remaining a formidable political figure or participating effectively in future elections.
“They do not want Sowore to remain an active political force or contest future elections. There is concern in government circles that his message could resonate with millions of angry and frustrated young Nigerians facing severe economic hardship,” another source claimed.
The source further alleged that worsening economic conditions, rising living costs and public dissatisfaction have heightened fears within official circles that Sowore’s mobilisation efforts could inspire wider youth protests or demands for fundamental political change.
“The fear is that the current suffering in the country could provide fertile ground for a mass movement or nationwide agitation if figures like Sowore continue to mobilise the youth,” the source alleged.
The claims remain unverified, and neither the Presidency, Gbajabiamila nor Ajayi has publicly responded to the allegations.
The controversy comes amid growing concerns over Sowore’s welfare and safety at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sources within the facility alleged that the activist is being held in a cell alongside inmates suffering from tuberculosis, raising fears about his health.
According to the sources, one inmate battling the disease recently died, while another is reportedly suffering from spinal tuberculosis.
“Sowore has been confined in a cell with inmates suffering from tuberculosis. One of them died only last Saturday,” a prison source alleged.
The source described the situation as a major health risk and criticised the state of medical care within Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
The latest concerns also follow reports of recent inmate deaths allegedly linked to delayed access to treatment and inadequate healthcare support.
Sowore was remanded in prison after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja revoked his bail in an ongoing case instituted by the DSS.
He is being prosecuted over remarks in which he described President Tinubu as “a criminal.”
Although the court had initially fixed June 24, 2026, for a ruling on his application for bail restoration, the matter was subsequently adjourned until June 30.
The case generated further controversy after DSS operatives were seen forcefully handling Sowore within the Federal High Court premises before officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service eventually took custody of him.
Following public criticism, the DSS announced that its Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, had ordered an investigation into the conduct of the officers involved.
However, one source questioned the sincerity of that move.
“It was difficult to take the announcement seriously. The agency investigating itself does not inspire confidence or transparency,” the source alleged.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency, the DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, Femi Gbajabiamila and the Nigerian Correctional Service had not publicly responded to the allegations made by the sources.