Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, was on Thursday whisked away by armed policemen at the Federal High Court, Abuja, shortly after appearing in support of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore, who has been vocal about Kanu’s continued detention, was reportedly apprehended by security operatives who insisted he accompany them to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
Asked what his offence was, one of the officers explained that they were executing an order from the Commissioner of Police.
“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office,” the officer added.
Even though he queried the absence of a letter of invitation to him, Sowore, who maintained that his lawyer must accompany him, was taken away in a police van.
The arrest followed a trending video showing the activist embracing Kanu and assuring him of his release.
“Mazi, you will be out,” Sowore told Kanu in the footage.
Before being taken away, Sowore requested to be accompanied by his lawyer and directed that his vehicle follow directly behind the police van.
Sowore, who is a frontline agitator for Kanu’s release from detention, was on Thursday accosted by the security operatives who insisted he must move with them to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command.
Sowore was taken into custody at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, wrote on his X, accused the police and President Bola Tinubu’s administration of undermining Nigeria’s judicial system.
He 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.”
