The Coalition of United Political Parties and the Arewa Youth Ambassadors have called for the immediate and unconditional release of pro-democracy activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, following his recent arrest by the Nigeria Police Force. In separate statements today both groups condemned the arrest, describing it as a violation of Sowore’s constitutional rights and an abuse of police authority.
National Secretary of CUPP, Peter Ameh, said Sowore’s detention flouts Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and opinion, Further saying that the police had turned into an instrument of oppression and called for accountability.
The Arewa Youth Ambassadors, in a separate statement signed by their National Coordinator, Yahaya Abdullahi, also condemned Sowore’s continued detention and gave the federal authorities a 72-hour ultimatum to release him or face protests across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Saying that Sowore’s arrest was part of a pattern of harassment, alleging that state institutions were being misused to suppress dissent , and warned that a continued clampdown on critics could erode democratic values and civic freedoms.
However, the police are yet to issue an official response to the reason for Sowore’s arrest.
