By Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has called for the unconditional release of journalist and activist, Omoyele Sowore, following his detention by men of the Nigerian Police.
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The latest travail of Sowore is reportedly linked to the recent allegations he made against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetoku, for fast-tracking the promotion of his mistress, Bukola Kuti.
According to the statement released by the human rights group, called on the Nigerian government to immediately drop all the charges levelled against Sowore. It also called on the Nigerian police to put an end to the continued persecution of Sowore for exercising his human rights.
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SERAP said, “Sowore’s arbitrary detention constitutes a violation of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. The Nigerian Constitution and these legally binding human rights treaties unequivocally prohibit arbitrary detention.”
The group added that no one should ever be arrested or detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their constitutional rights. “No one should ever be arrested or detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their constitutionally and internationally recognized human rights including the right to freedom of expression. The authorities must immediately release Sowore, end this travesty of justice and uphold the human rights of everyone in the country.”
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Also, Amnesty International has condemned what it called the “arbitrary detention” of human rights activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore by the Nigerian police. The group in a statement called on the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Sowore and drop “all bogus and politically motivated charges against him.”
Amnesty International also urged the government to listen to critics instead of trying to suppress their voice through abuse of power.
“The authorities should listen to critics instead of seeking to gag them through outright abuse of power. Nigerian authorities must allow Sowore to freely exercise his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Apart from putting him through sham trials based on bogus charges, Sowore has been subjected to series of human rights violations.”
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The human rights organisation also noted that Sowore has been subjected to arbitrary detentions and unfair trials because of the peaceful exercise of his fundamental human rights.
The Lagos Voice reports that Sowore was declared a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in November 2019 after being arbitrarily detained for his peaceful activism.
The group noted, “The case of Sowore shows just how far the authorities in Nigeria can go to silence peaceful dissent.”
