The move is believed to be part of efforts to monitor and block payments and financial inflows connected to the platform, which has consistently exposed corruption, impunity and human rights abuses by Nigeria Police Force.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has expressed deep frustration with SaharaReporters’ investigations, particularly its coverage of the recent police promotion scandal, SaharaReporters has learnt.
According to insiders, the IGP wrote to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), requesting it to track all financial transactions linked to SaharaReporters, its publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and related bank accounts.
“The IGP, Egbetokun, is very frustrated about SR’s reporting, especially over the promotion scandal. He has written to the NFIU to help track all payments made by SaharaReporters, Sowore or any bank accounts or transactions,” one of the inside sources said.
The move is believed to be part of efforts to monitor and block payments and financial inflows connected to the platform, which has consistently exposed corruption, impunity and human rights abuses by Nigeria Police Force.
In addition, SaharaReporters learnt that Egbetokun and some senior police officials were also angered by Sowore’s refusal to attend two separate meetings proposed by the IGP.
The activist and publisher not only declined the invitations but also disclosed the attempts publicly, and this infuriated the police leadership.
“They were also very livid that Sowore refused to hold a meeting with the IGP twice that they proposed it and that he disclosed it publicly,” a source said.
For instance, on Wednesday, Sowore raised fresh alarm over what he described as sustained harassment by the Force under Egbetokun.
Sowore, in a statement on his X handle, narrated how he was again summoned for questioning by the police at their headquarters in Abuja.
“Today again, I was summoned by the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the illegal Inspector General of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun,” he wrote.
According to him, the interrogation was handled by the IGP Monitoring Unit led by former SARS commander, Akin Fakorede, although Fakorede did not personally attend, claiming to be “held up in a meeting.”
“Upon arrival at the Police Headquarters, after being subjected to needless delays, it quickly became clear that what they had set up was nothing more than a soap opera,” Sowore stated.
Sowore narrated that the police were attempting to use corporate records of SaharaReporters entities obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a basis for a sham trial.
“This time, their obsession was with SaharaReporters Media. They had approached the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to obtain documents relating to the SaharaReporters Media Foundation and another registered but inactive Nigerian entity, SaharaReporters Ltd.
“With a police cameraman rolling, they attempted to create a spectacle, demanding that I explain the difference between these entities in the presence of my lawyer, Marshal Abubakar so that they could serve me court summons for appearance for a sham trial scheduled for next week before a federal High Court in Abuja,” Sowore wrote.
He said he refused a request to put his explanations in writing, stressing that the case was politically motivated.
Rejection Of ‘Peace Deal’
Sowore disclosed that police operatives attempted to broker a deal to end their hostilities, including promises to return his passport and drop pending charges.
He said, “The desperation is so brazen that after my unlawful detention last week, Fakorede himself sat with us twice in the presence of my lawyers. He offered a back-door deal. According to him, if I agreed to make ‘peace’ with Egbetokun, he would ensure that my illegally seized passport is returned and that all the bogus charges filed against me are withdrawn.
“He even suggested arranging a meeting with Egbetokun to seal this so-called ‘peace.’
“I rejected it outright. I am not interested in peace built on blackmail and illegality. I am interested only in justice, which is how to improve the Nigeria Police Force by providing better conditions of service for serving police officers and engaging in serious police work.”
Sowore reiterated that he would never meet with Egbetokun, whom he insisted was no longer legally the Inspector General of Police.
“I made it clear that I will never meet with Kayode Egbetokun because, as far as I am concerned, he ceased to be the legitimate Inspector General of Police in Nigeria when he reached the statutory retirement age of 60 back in September 2024,” he said.
In recent weeks, Sowore has found himself at the centre of a deepening standoff with the Nigeria Police Force. The tension escalated following a series of invitations issued by the Inspector-General of Police’s Monitoring Unit, citing allegations of forgery and inciting disturbance.
On August 6, 2025, Sowore honoured one such invitation at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. He arrived with his legal team and supporters from the Take It Back Movement, carrying a travel bag that hinted at his preparedness for possible detention.
The police claimed his name featured prominently in a petition filed days earlier, but Sowore demanded a copy of the petition before proceeding with any interview—a request that was initially denied.
The activist, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2023, has been vocal in his criticism of the IGP Egbetokun. He has accused the IGP of illegally extending his tenure and fostering cronyism within the police promotion system.
These criticisms culminated in a protest led by Sowore on July 21, 2025, where he joined retired officers to demand improved welfare and pensions. During that protest, his AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses were stolen by a police cameraman.
Following his August 6 visit, Sowore was detained for over 48 hours, prompting outrage from civil society groups and his legal team.
His lawyers, Tope Temokun and Marshal Abubakar, described the detention as retaliatory and politically motivated, warning that Sowore’s safety in custody was at risk.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also condemned the arrest, calling it an assault on constitutional freedoms.
On August 12, the police formally charged Sowore with inciting mutiny, citing his role in the July protest.
Meanwhile, the police returned his stolen smart glasses, but the gesture did little to quell concerns about the fairness of the process.
The police have defended their actions, insisting that Sowore’s arrest was lawful and based on credible allegations. They denied claims of torture, stating that he was released within the constitutionally mandated 48-hour window and refused medical examination during detention.
