The Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Thursday arrested human rights activist, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore was reportedly arrested by armed policemen within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after showing solidarity with the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Confirming the arrest of the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin said the activist is currently in police custody and will be charged to court later in the day.
He explained that Sowore was arrested for allegedly violating a court order that prohibits protests around the Three Arms Zone in Abuja.
Sowore, who led the #FreeNnamdiKanuProtest in Abuja, on Monday, had fled when the police arrested other protesters.
He had subsequently taken to social media to announce the arrest of 13 protesters, including Nnamdi Kanu’s brother, Emmanuel, and his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor.
Reacting to the development, human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong described Sowore’s arrest as ‘preposterous’.
In a post on his X handle, Effiong wrote: ‘The arrest of Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja moments ago is preposterous. The police and the Tinubu regime are making a mockery of our judicial system. He should be freed immediately. Stop the shenanigans’.
The police had warned those planning to stage a protest for the release of the detained IPoB leader not to move close to some restricted parts of the nation’s capital, but the activist stood his ground, saying it was his right to protest.
A video seen by Daily Trust showed that Sowore was earlier at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the case of Kanu.
‘Today, I met with Kanu Agabi, the lead lawyer for Kanu Nnandi, at the Federal High Court, and he disclosed that his team will be withdrawing from the case, leaving Nnamdi Kanu to continue his trial without representation. He was s sure that it was completely political’, Sowore had posted before his arrest.
As he made his way out of the court, a police team accosted him and asked that he follow them to the station.
After back and forth, the politician and activist went with them.
One of Sowore’s associates said that the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory had earlier invited him.
‘He was going to honour their invitation. It was in the itinerary. I wonder why they were so much in a hurry’, said the associate.
On Tuesday, a Magistrate’s court sitting in Kuje, Abuja ordered the remand of Emmanuel Kanu, Ejimakor and other arrested protesters.
The Nigeria Police had charged Ejimakor, Emmanuel Kanu, and 10 others with a two-count offence of inciting public disturbance and breach of peace, following a protest held on Monday in the nation’s capital.
According to the charge sheet, the suspects allegedly obstructed traffic flow, denied citizens their right to free movement, and chanted war songs while demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore had accused security operatives of launching an unprovoked attack on peaceful protesters during Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanu rally in Abuja.
Sowore, who spoke on the Monday edition of The Morning Brief on Channels Television, alleged that security forces opened fire shortly after the protest began at the front of the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
