…Say activist will be arraigned within 24 hours
Daud Olatunji
The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday explained that it arrested human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, for allegedly leading a group of protesters into a restricted area in Abuja, in violation of a subsisting court order.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja, insisting that Sowore’s arrest was based on statements obtained from 13 protesters earlier arrested in connection with the “Free Nnamdi Kanu” protest.
According to Hundeyin, those arrested during the protest confessed that Sowore had mobilised and led them into areas the court had explicitly barred for public demonstrations.
“Every one of the 13 persons arrested mentioned that one Sowore led them into the restricted area in contravention of the court order,” Hundeyin stated.
“It would be unfair to charge some people to court and leave out the person who led them to commit the offence. In the spirit of fair play and justice, he was arrested today.”
The police spokesman added that Sowore’s arrest was not politically motivated but aimed at ensuring that the same legal standard applied to all involved.
“Like the others, Sowore will not spend up to 24 hours in our custody. We intend to arraign him as soon as we conclude his charges. In fact, our plan is to have him arraigned today if everything goes as expected,” Hundeyin said.
He explained that the initial 13 protesters were apprehended on Monday in two locations — eight around the Transcorp area and five near the Ministry of Finance, both in the Federal Capital Territory.
Hundeyin said the protesters were warned repeatedly about the restriction but went ahead with the demonstration, adding that they had already been arraigned in court within 24 hours of their arrest.
“A valid court order had prohibited protests within certain parts of Abuja for security reasons, and anyone who violates that order is liable under the law,” he said.
Sowore, a well-known pro-democracy campaigner and 2019 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has a history of confrontations with security agencies over his activism.
As of press time, the police said arrangements were ongoing to charge him to court for allegedly violating the court order restricting protests in certain parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
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