Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a stern condemnation of President Bola Tinubu’s government following the arrest of activist Omoyele Sowore, demanding his immediate release and an end to the “harassment of dissenting voices.”
The call came after the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday arrested Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, inside a courtroom in Abuja. Several other citizens were also arrested during the protests calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In his statement, Atiku said he was “shocked and disappointed, but not surprised” by the government’s actions. “Shocked that in 2025, decades after we defeated military rule, this government still treats dissent as a crime. Disappointed because those in power today once thrived on protests. But not surprised, for Bola Tinubu continues to show Nigerians exactly who he is and what he intends to be, if we allow him”, he stated.
He described Sowore’s arrest within the precincts of a court as a “new low, an open assault on democracy and a grave symbol of this administration’s contempt for the rule of law.” Atiku asserted that “protest is not a crime; it is a constitutional right,” and concluded his statement with a forceful declaration: “Democracy cannot coexist with tyranny.”
The protests, which began on Monday around the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Maitama, were met with a significant security response. Witnesses reported that security personnel deployed teargas to disperse the demonstrators, who the police said disobeyed court by protesting in restricted areas.
In response to the growing criticism, the Nigeria Police Force defended its actions. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, addressed journalists in Abuja on Thursday, stating that Sowore was taken into custody for allegedly leading protesters into a restricted area in defiance of a subsisting court order.
“Today, Omoyele Sowore has been arrested by the Nigerian Police Force. You may ask why he was arrested. The reason is straightforward,” Hundeyin explained. “The 13 people previously arrested all mentioned that Sowore led them into the restricted area, in clear contravention of the court order.”
He added that it would be unjust to prosecute those earlier arrested while leaving out the person alleged to have led them. According to his account, eight persons were initially arrested on Monday in the Transcorp area, while five others were arrested around the Ministry of Finance, bringing the total number of suspects to 13.
The police cited a Federal High Court order that restricts demonstrations around sensitive government buildings, including the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, and the Supreme Court. Hundeyin dismissed claims that the police had arbitrarily blocked major roads, explaining that officers only cleared routes that had been obstructed by the demonstrators to ensure free movement for other citizens.
“They were arraigned the very next day and did not spend up to 24 hours in our custody,” Hundeyin said of the initial arrests, adding that Sowore would also be arraigned soon once investigations are concluded.
Discussion about this post