ABUJA — Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has leveled a series of “bombshell” allegations against Senator Ned Nwoko, accusing the billionaire lawmaker of using his wealth and state security apparatus to systematically imprison those who oppose him in his home community.
In a raw and unfiltered revelation that has set social media ablaze, Sowore claimed that during his own time in detention, he stumbled upon a startling discovery: a group of men from the Senator’s own village, all allegedly locked away for the “crime” of standing up to the Delta State billionaire.
The Prison Encounter
Sowore’s account paints a grim picture of what he describes as “executive lawlessness” in Idumuje-Ugboko, the Senator’s hometown. According to the activist, his encounter with these inmates provided a firsthand look at the human cost of local land disputes.
“…this so-called billionaire was just throwing people in prison; and when we got to prison, we found 9 people that had been put in prison by the same Ned Nwoko from his village,” Sowore revealed.
The activist alleged that these nine individuals were being held as a “punishment” for resisting the acquisition of ancestral lands intended for the construction of the Sports University, a multi-billion naira project owned by the Senator.
A “Pattern of Intimidation”
Sowore argued that the Senator’s influence over the Nigeria Police Force has turned the institution into a “private enforcement agency.” These claims were reignited following the November 2025 detention of Samuel Ojeogwu (popularly known as Sammy West), the brother of actress Regina Daniels.
Sowore described the arrest of the Senator’s brother-in-law as just the latest chapter in a long-running saga of “power-drunk” behavior. He insisted that the Senator’s pattern of using the police to settle domestic and communal scores has created a “reign of terror” in his constituency.
The Legal War: A ₦200 Million Standoff
The bad blood between the activist and the lawmaker is not new. It reached a boiling point in 2022 when Sowore filed a ₦200 million fundamental rights suit against Senator Nwoko and the police, alleging that his own arrest had been orchestrated by the billionaire.
Key allegations in the ongoing feud include:
- Arbitrary Arrests:Â Claims that critics are picked up without valid warrants.
- Land Grabbing:Â Allegations that communal land was taken without fair compensation or consent.
- Judicial Pressure:Â Accusations that the Senator uses his “reach” to ensure suspects remain in custody without trial for extended periods.
The Senator’s Defense
Senator Ned Nwoko has historically dismissed Sowore’s claims as “baseless blackmail” and “sensationalist lies.” In previous statements, the Senator’s media team has maintained that any arrests made were the result of legitimate police investigations into criminal activities, including alleged cultism and malicious damage to property within the Idumuje-Ugboko community.
As of February 17, 2026, the Senator has not issued a fresh rebuttal to Sowore’s “nine villagers” claim, though he has recently been occupied with addressing domestic controversies involving his estranged wife and allegations of drug-related issues within his household.
For the people of Delta North, the debate remains: is the Senator a “visionary developer” bringing a university to their doorsteps, or is he, as Sowore claims, a “billionaire bully” using the law as a weapon?
