The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to immediately and unconditionally release human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and other protesters arrested during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in Abuja.
In a statement on Thursday, SERAP described the arrests as a violation of fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“The Tinubu administration must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Omoyele Sowore and others arbitrarily arrested following a peaceful protest on Monday in Abuja,” the organisation stated.
The group condemned what it called “the use of arbitrary detention to silence dissent,” stressing that “no one should be arrested simply for peacefully exercising their rights.”
SERAP further urged Nigerian authorities to respect democratic principles and protect citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, which it said are enshrined in both domestic and international laws.
Sowore was reportedly arrested shortly after leaving the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he was to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite on what he described as a “bogus” forgery charge. He was informed at the court that the judge would not be sitting before police officers approached and arrested him on the orders of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police.
According to his lawyer, Tope Temokun, the police claimed that Sowore’s arrest was linked to his alleged involvement in the recent protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Police spokesperson CSP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the arrest, stating that Sowore was detained for allegedly leading protesters into a restricted area in violation of a court order.
Hundeyin explained that all thirteen protesters earlier arrested had identified Sowore as their leader, insisting that it would be unfair to prosecute them without also charging him.
“It would not be fair to charge some protesters to court and leave out the person who led them into the restricted area,” Hundeyin said, adding that Sowore would be arraigned promptly and not held beyond the legally allowed time.
Thirteen other protesters were previously arrested at different locations around the Transcorp area and the Ministry of Finance. They were arraigned within 24 hours, and the police said Sowore would face similar treatment.
Sowore has faced several arrests in recent years over his activism. Earlier in January, he was detained for referring to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, as an “illegal IGP” on social media, leading to a 17-count charge under the Cybercrime Act.
The latest arrest has renewed concerns among rights groups about the shrinking civic space and what they describe as the government’s increasing use of the police and legal system to intimidate activists in Nigeria.
