At Last Sowore Regains Freedom From Police Custody 3 -

Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore has been released from police custody.

Sowore had been detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory since Wednesday when he honoured an invitation from the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit.

The activist confirmed his release in a Facebook post.

He described his detention as “illegal and unjust.”

“The Nigeria Police Force has capitulated to the demands of the revolutionary movement. I have been released from unjust, illegal and unwarranted detention.

“However, it is nothing to celebrate, but thank you for not giving up!” he wrote.

His release comes hours after his supporters had staged protests in about five different states on Friday.

Recall that the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, earlier condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sowore by the Nigeria Police Force, describing it as “a miscarriage of justice and an abuse of state power.”

In a statement shared on Thursday, Obi said he was “deeply disturbed to learn of the arrest of Mr. Omoyele Sowore @YeleSowore yesterday, shortly after he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Nigerian Police Force.”

“At the time of writing, no clear or credible charges have been made public, which further casts a troubling shadow over the nature and motivation behind his detention.”

Obi stated that “his arrest, particularly under circumstances where he presented himself in good faith to law enforcement, should be condemned by all who value justice and due process.

“From all indications, no urgency or criminal flight risk warranted such high-handed treatment.”

READ ALSO: Omoyele Sowore Faces Attack In Police Custody, Right Hand Broken 2

The former Anambra State governor expressed concern over the legality and moral implications of such an arrest, saying, “To detain a citizen who came of his own accord, without the public disclosure of clear, lawful charges, is not only a miscarriage of justice but an abuse of state power.”

Citing Plato, he said, “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as it first resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.

“When those entrusted with power act unjustly, they poison not only the legal order but the moral conscience of the nation.”

Obi called on the authorities to act within the bounds of justice: “I therefore call on the Nigerian Police to immediately release Omoyele Sowore or charge him formally under the law.”

“Anything short of this would be a further erosion of public trust in the nation’s law enforcement institutions.”

He concluded with a call for equal application of the law: “It is our collective duty to insist that the rule of law must apply to all citizens, regardless of ideology, background, or political alignment.”

Similarly, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar kicked against the reported assault and detention of the activist by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Team, calling it an abuse of power.

Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, made the statement on Thursday through his verified Facebook page.

He described the treatment of Sowore as “shameful, unlawful, and a personal vendetta.”

Sowore, a human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, was reportedly attacked by police officers at dawn, beaten, had his arm broken, and sprayed with chemicals after honouring a police invitation over a petition said to have come from the IGP’s office.

Atiku said Sowore’s only offence was speaking out against injustice, corruption, and bad leadership.

He added that it was wrong for the IGP to act as both the complainant and the one using police to settle personal scores.

“No police officer shall institute any legal proceeding in his own personal interest or in connection with matters arising out of his public duties,” he said emphasizing that the “IGP cannot be a complainant and still deploy the force to carry out his grievance.”