Say Nigeria sliding into dark days of dictatorship
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of renowned rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, following his recent arrest by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The NLC stated yesterday that it would not watch and allow the country to slide into the dark days of dictatorship, where fear replaces freedom and dissent is met with brute force.
It equally demanded an end to the harassment and intimidation of rights activists and all voices of dissent, calling for full adherence to the rule of law and constitutional guarantee of free speech and assembly.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, who strongly condemned the frequent arrests and detention of Sowore, said that irrespective of what anyone might think, Sowore has become a moral compass the nation could ill-afford to treat with levity.
According to him, freedom of speech and freedom of association are some of the inalienable rights guaranteed by the constitution, and it is only fit and proper that the government is seen to respect the citizens’ rights.
Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Federal Government to immediately and unconditionally release the rights activist and journalist and also drop all charges against him.
SERAP condemned Sowore’s arrest, describing it as a violation of his constitutional right according to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the international human rights obligations, including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.
SERAP, which noted that Nigeria’s constitution and the legally binding human rights treaties unequivocally prohibit arbitrary detention, urged the authorities to release Sowore and end the travesty of justice, as well as uphold the human rights of everyone in the country.
“The Nigerian police must end the persecution of Sowore solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights,” SERAP stated.
Similarly, a group, the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), has condemned what it described as the unjust detention and assault of Sowore by the police.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, and National Secretary, Francis Nwapa, the group demanded his immediate and unconditional release, describing the circumstances of his detention as an abuse of power and a direct attack on democratic rights.
According to the YRC, Sowore was invited to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, alongside his legal team, in relation to two petitions submitted by police officers, accusing Sowore of “insulting” the IGP and an alleged defamation of character.
The YRC, which accused the IGP of orchestrating a personal vendetta against Sowore due to his consistent advocacy for police reform and better welfare for officers and retirees, described the petitions as retaliatory actions.
The youth group, however, reiterated its demand for Sowore’s immediate release and called for an end to what it termed relentless attacks on citizens’ democratic rights by the police and government.
