Sowore released after 48 hours in detention

Human rights activist and 2023 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has been released from police custody after spending 48 hours in detention.

In a live video shortly after his release, he appreciated everyone who contributed to his release from police custody. 

He said partly, “I want to thank all of you out there who have worked very hard, staying up late at night ensuring that they didn’t get away with this crime.”

Tribune Online reports that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had earlier explained that Sowore was held for refusing to make a statement during interrogation at the Force Headquarters.

Speaking to journalists and protesters in Abuja on Friday, the Commissioner of Police for the Special Intervention Squad, CP Abayomi Shogunle, said the activist was shown two petitions in his presence. 

“One bordered on forgery of a police document, which he published online… The second petition has to do with cyberbullying,” Shogunle disclosed in a video.

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According to him, Sowore’s lawyers were present when the petitions were presented, but the activist declined to give a statement in response to the allegations. 

“The issue now is that he refused to make a statement in the presence of his lawyers. It is in the record,” he said.

Sowore was invited to the police headquarters on Wednesday by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit. 

However, his refusal to respond to the allegations during questioning led to his arrest and continued detention.

Shogunle maintained that the Force acted within the law. “The procedure under the Nigerian law is very clear. When an allegation is made against you, you are called upon, you have a duty to put down your own position,” he said, adding, “The same law that gives him the right to remain silent also gives the police the responsibility of certain duties to do when somebody who has been alleged of an offence decides not to talk.”

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