The Take It Back (TIB) Movement has vowed to launch a nationwide protest in response to the reported detention of its convener and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, by the Nigeria Police Force.
According to this newspaper, Sowore arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon, accompanied by his supporters, to honour a police invitation.
The Nigeria Police Force, through the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, is currently investigating Sowore over allegations of forgery and inciting public disturbance.
The TIB’s National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, revealed that the police have obtained a court order to detain Sowore.
In a statement released after the incident, Juwon Sanyaolu condemned what he described as the persistent harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention of Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and Convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, by the Nigeria Police.
Sanyaolu labelled the police invitation as “politically motivated” and accused the authorities of denying Sowore access to both the content of the petition filed against him and the identity of the petitioner.
Meanwhile, in a letter dated Tuesday and addressed to Sowore’s lawyer, Tope Temokun, the police stated that the details of the petition would only be disclosed during Sowore’s appearance before the Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Akin Fakorede.
Details of the interview remain unclear, but videos circulating on social media showed Sowore’s supporters staging a protest earlier at the Force Headquarters, warning against his detention.
Threatening further demonstrations, the Take It Back Movement Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, declared, “Accordingly, the Nigerian people, students, workers, the public, and the entire membership are hereby put on notice for a nationwide protest against the continuous harassment of Sowore, and unlawful use of state institutions to suppress dissent.”
In a separate statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Femi Adeyeye, added, “We are putting all Nigerians on notice, calling on every man and woman of conscience to be ready for a mass action. We will not hesitate to occupy Police Commands across the country until Sowore is released and justice is served.”
Reacting to the situation, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, criticised the police via a post on X.com, noting that “The police are a constitutional body and civil organisation that are not above criticisms.”
He stressed that law enforcement should not be used to silence critics or watchdogs, stating, “Critics don’t have to be right to be privileged against unlawful arrest or detention.”
Adebayo further questioned the use of police resources in the matter, saying Nigeria is already short of personnel to tackle widespread criminality. “How the police have enough men, materials and mindfulness to spare to spar with @YeleSowore is another study in misplaced priorities at the highest levels,” he wrote.