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Human rights activist and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, was on Wednesday detained by detectives of the Nigeria Police Force over allegations of forgery and incitement.
Naija News reports that Sowore, who arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in the afternoon, was accompanied by supporters and legal representatives in response to a police invitation.
According to his organisation, the Take-it-Back Movement, the activist was subsequently detained at a police facility in the Federal Capital Territory.
The development followed an earlier letter addressed to Sowore’s lawyer, Tope Temokun, from the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, summoning the activist for questioning.
The letter indicated that full details of the petition against Sowore would be disclosed upon his arrival. The activist was scheduled to be interviewed by DCP Akin Fakorede, Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit.
Sources told Daily Trust that the petition centres around alleged forgery and inciting disturbance, although no formal charges have been filed at the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the detention, Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, criticised the action as an abuse of office and called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Adeyanju alleged, “Egbetokun has ordered the detention of Sowore for criticizing his incompetence, favoritism and other numerous infractions.
“The Police Act 2020 and Regulation 367 of the Nigeria Police Regulations forbid officers from using their positions to settle personal scores. President Tinubu must sack him now. Egbetokun must go!”
In a statement released shortly after the development, Juwon Sanyaolu, National Coordinator of the Take-it-Back Movement, condemned what he described as the “continued harassment, intimidation, and unlawful detention” of the RevolutionNow convener.
“The Nigerian people, students, workers, and our entire membership are hereby put on notice for a nationwide protest against the unlawful use of state institutions to suppress dissent,” he declared.
Similarly, the AAC’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, warned that the party would not hesitate to “occupy Nigeria” if Sowore is not released unconditionally.
“We are putting all Nigerians on notice, calling on every man and woman of conscience to be ready for a mass action. We will occupy police commands across the country until Sowore is released and justice is served,” he said.
The post Police Detain Sowore Over Alleged Forgery, Incitement appeared first on Naija News.
