The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed allegations by activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, that he was tortured while in detention, insisting his arrest was lawful and linked to criminal investigations.

Sowore was detained on Wednesday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja after honouring an invitation from the IGP Monitoring Unit. He regained freedom on Friday, within the constitutionally allowed 48 hours. In a Facebook post, he described his detention as “illegal and unjust,” claiming his hand was broken and that he was denied proper medical care.

But Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, described the claims as “deliberate disinformation” aimed at discrediting the police and the Inspector-General. According to him, Sowore was arrested following “credible and corroborated” allegations of forgery, cyberstalking, and other offences currently under investigation.

Adejobi said the arrest complied fully with legal procedures and constitutional safeguards, adding that the activist was duly informed of the allegations and would appear in court soon. He also denied that Sowore was tortured, stressing the police maintain a zero-tolerance policy for such practices in line with the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.

The Force clarified that the viral image of Sowore with a bandaged arm was misleading, claiming he had the bandage before his arrest. An internal investigation was reportedly ordered to determine how he accessed it in custody, especially after refusing medical checks by two independent police medical teams on August 7 and 8.

Police maintained that Sowore’s detention was backed by a valid court order and warned the public against sensational reporting that could undermine ongoing investigations.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to human rights, the rule of law, and ensuring no one, no matter their influence is above the law,” the statement read.