Police abort planned interview with Sahara Reporters’ publisher

The interview, which the police had scheduled to hold with the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, yesterday could not hold afterwards.

This followed police cancellation of the meeting due to the death of one of their officers. According to the police: “The officers that were scheduled to interview Sowore were not on ground because the police lost one of its officers.”

Sowore, publisher of an online media, has had a running battle with the police since January, leading to his arrest and subsequent release at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, Lagos.

Meanwhile, a Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who led others to the police station in solidarity with Sowore, addressed a mini gathering at the venue.

Adegboruwa said: “I have very strong reasons to believe that he is currently being persecuted on account of his media activities. Such persecution should not be allowed in a democratic government.

“Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution grants the right to freedom of expression and the press to every citizen of Nigeria. Section 22 places a great obligation on the media to hold government accountable to the people.

“This is what Sowore has been practicing through the Sahara Reporters’ medium. Although I may not agree with all that the medium represents, I have no doubt in my mind that Sowore has impacted meaningfully on Nigerians.”