Human rights activist and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that there is no legal justification for his arrest and continued detention by the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking from custody at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Friday, Sowore alleged that his detention was politically motivated and aimed at silencing opposition voices. He also accused the police of assault, claiming his hand was broken during the arrest.
“I’ve been expecting this nonsense from them since I was brought here yesterday morning by 6am,” Sowore said in a live stream shared on Sahara Reporters’ Facebook page. “They came here and I know the next thing they will do is to bring the press to create the impression that I’m doing fine. There is no basis for my arrest in the first place. No citizen in Nigeria should be arrested simply because the IGP feels threatened by the legality of opposition.”
The activist, who had a bandage on his injured hand, lamented that the police had failed to provide him with proper medical attention, opting instead to parade him before the media. “They broke my hand, brought a nurse but refused to get me a doctor. What they should do is release me, apologise, and allow me to get treatment,” he added.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Shogunle, had told protesters that Sowore was not being brutalised in custody and was only being held for allegedly refusing to make a statement.
The police said his detention was linked to two petitions accusing him of forging a police document and engaging in cyberbullying.
Supporters of the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) have since staged protests in Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, and Osun states, demanding his immediate release.
Sowore was arrested on Wednesday after honouring an invitation from the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit in Abuja.
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