The Nigerian police force (NPF) has arraigned Omoyele Sowore, convener of the Revolution Now Movement, on charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly and incitement.
Juwon Sanyaolu, Damilare Adenola, Peter and Kimrere were arraigned on a three-count charge alongside Sowore before a magistrate court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja on Monday.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution had alleged that the defendants were arrested with placards calling for a violent revolution against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sowore had in a tweet called for protests across the country. He was arrested alongside other activists during a procession on New Year’s eve.
A source had said that “Sowore was particularly singled out for torture by the security operatives, who gave him a bloodied nose before whisking him away”.
In August 2019, Sowore was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for planning a nationwide protest.
He spent 141 days in detention before he was eventually granted bail, with a condition restricting him from travelling out of Abuja.