Photo: Sowore
By: Mandy Park
The Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) has condemned the arrest of Comrade Omoyele Sowore, the Civil Rights Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, describing it as unjust and illegal.
The group demands Sowore’s immediate and unconditional release.
CHSR in a statement signed by it’s President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse considers the Nigeria Police Force’s actions as a brazen display of institutional double standards, abuse of power, and a calculated attempt to intimidate and silence dissenting voices.
The group notes that the arrest, based on an allegation involving a police officer, reeks of personal vendetta rather than pursuit of justice.
The Rights group noted that it finds it alarming that the Nigeria Police Force, an institution meant to uphold the rule of law, continues to act as a law unto itself.
CHSR argues that the police cannot be both the accuser and the enforcer in a matter involving its own personnel, citing a blatant conflict of interest.
CHSR believes that Sowore’s arrest is a politically motivated witch-hunt, given his history as a fearless critic and consistent voice against police brutality.
The group demands that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, must ensure his men desist from turning the Force into a tool of oppression.
CHSR demands::- The immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Omoyele Sowore
– That if the Nigeria Police or any of its personnel believe they have a case against him, they should seek legal redress in a competent court of law
– An end to the continued harassment and unlawful detention of activists and human rights defenders by security agencies
The Socially-relevant group condemned the ongoing double standards, selective justice, and impunity of the Nigeria Police Force, calling for an end to these practices.
