Scores of protesters on Friday barricaded the headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) in Abuja to demand the release of Omoyele Sowore, a Nigerian politician, human rights activist, citizen reporter, writer, lecturer, and pro-democracy campaigner.

Reports emerged on Thursday that the activist was detained by the authorities when he honoured an invitation extended to him by the Force Intelligence Department (FID).

Speaking during the protest, National Organising Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Comrade Ishioks Philip, who accused the police of refusing to disclose the petition against Sowore, noted that protesters will not leave the police environment until Sowore is released unconditionally.

Noting that Sowore’s fundamental human rights have been violated in detention, Philip explained: “He decided not to pen down any form of statement, because, as a freeborn, we deserve to see the petition written against him at the end of the day. But unfortunately, nothing was presented on that basis.

“The information we got was he was going to be detained within the facility of FID for that day only for us to return in the morning to discover he was no longer there, so for us, we feel he was kidnapped, because his whereabouts are still unknown to us.

“So how can it be that the one we brought before your facility was kidnapped from your facility? No, he was not just kidnapped. There is evidence of him being brutalised because we could see the injuries he sustained, and for us, he has a broken arm.

“Every Nigerian knows the fights he has carried upon his shoulder. He is the voice of the voiceless. He is a man who has spoken truth to power, and he is a man who speaks for the depression of every Nigerian, letting Nigerians know that there is no set of Nigerians who are more Nigerian than any other.

“So these are the two demands we have, let us know where he is and then release him forth, and if it is beyond your powers, please take this message to the superiors that this is what we are asking for, and we are not leaving the Force Headquarters today without Sowore.”

Responding to protesters, Commissioner of Police (CP) of the Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Sogunle, who had insisted that the detained activist refuse to make statements after two petitions were shown to him, emphasised that due process must be followed in the matter.

His words: “Two petitions against Omoyele Sowore were shown to him in the presence of his two lawyers, one bordered on forgery, forgery of police documents, which he published online. And we all know the law’s position. It is your duty to provide the source or explain how you obtained the documents. Then the second petition has to do with cyberbullying, regarding a false allegation.

“The petitions were shown to him in the presence of the two lawyers, but the issue is that he refused to make statements in the presence of his lawyers. It is on record.

“He refused to make a written statement. The procedure under Nigerian law is very clear. When an allegation is made against you, you are called upon. You have a duty to put down your own position. If you cannot write, it is not compulsory that you write in English. If you cannot write, somebody will write for you and read and interpret for you, and you sign.”