Obi, Atiku Favour Sowore: Say His Detention Is Abuse of Power 2 -

The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has condemned the arrest and continued detention of Omoyele 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.”

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 To Authorities

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 has condemned the reported assault and detention of Omoyele Sowore 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,” Atiku emphasized that the “IGP cannot be a complainant and still deploy the force to carry out his grievance.”

“This is not just about Sowore. It is an attack on every Nigerian who speaks the truth. It must stop,” he said, demanding Sowore’s immediate and unconditional release.

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Meanwhile, the Amilcar Cabral Ideological School Movement (ACIS-M) also accused the Nigerian police of carrying out a politically motivated assault on human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, while in custody, warning that the incident represents a dangerous test of the rights and freedoms of all Nigerians.

In a statement by its National Youth Coordinator, Majekodunmi Ebhohon, ACIS-M on Thursday said the activist’s recent confrontation with the authorities was not happening in isolation but followed a pattern of resistance against police excesses.

“We at the Amilcar Cabral Ideological School Movement (ACIS-M) are convinced that these recent attacks constitute politically motivated persecution.

“The timing, the denial of access to legal defense, the physical assault, and the secretive transfer are all markers of intent to intimidate and silence Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” the statement read.

The group maintained that what happened to Sowore was not only a personal injustice but also an attack on the constitutional rights of all Nigerians.

“We are equally convinced that this is not only a violation of Mr. Sowore’s rights, it is a litmus test for every Nigerian’s freedom. It is a direct assault on Sections 35 and 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee the rights to personal liberty, legal representation, and protection from inhuman treatment,” it said.

ACIS-M warned that silence in the face of such acts would embolden rogue elements within security agencies and further erode trust in the country’s legal system.