Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and several other citizens reportedly detained by the Nigeria Police during peaceful protests in parts of the country.
In a statement shared on Thursday, Atiku said he was “shocked and disappointed, but not surprised” by the development, describing the action as “a new low and an open assault on democracy.”
“Sowore’s arrest inside a courtroom is a grave symbol of this administration’s contempt for the rule of law. Protest is not a crime; it is a constitutional right,” Atiku said.
“I therefore demand the immediate and unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore and all those arrested during and after the protest. This government must end its persistent harassment of dissenting voices,” he added.
The former vice president said it was disheartening that “decades after defeating military rule, the government still treats dissent as a crime,” noting that those in power today once benefited from public protests.
“Democracy cannot coexist with tyranny,” Atiku concluded.
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