SaharaReporters publisher Omoyele Sowore arrested

The publisher of SaharaReporters and the presidential candidate if the African Action Congress in the last presidential election in Nigerian has been arrested by men suspected to operatives of the Department of State Services.

Omoyele Sowore was arrested in his residence in the early hours of Saturday, his associate said in a statement.

“Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested pro-democracy activist and the convener of #RevolutionNow Protests, Omoyele Sowore.

“It was gathered that Sowore was picked up at his apartment in the early hours of Saturday.”

Sowore said on Friday that he was told by a friend that he was under “heavy surveillance” of security agencies.

He posted a distress tweet at 1:25 am confirming that DSS operatives were at his house. A follow-up tweet was truncated.

SaharaReporters, which he publishes, said his phone was taken from him and that his arrest may be connected to his plans to lead a nationwide protest against the government.

“His whereabouts is currently unknown,” SaharaReporters said.