Real Reason Omoleye Sowore Is Detained

As human rights activist and journalist, Omoleye Sowore continues to languish in detention; no fewer than 48 human rights and press freedom organisations have petitioned the United Nations and African Union Special Mechanisms for their intervention.

Sowore had been remanded in detention since 3 August for convening the #RevolutionNowmovement. The Department for State Service (DSS) claimed that Sowore was collaborating with some terrorist groups to hijack the Nigerian government among others.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Sahara Reporters head honcho disclosed to Newscarte that “he is actually being tamed because the ruling party don’t want to be a victim of the plan they secretly initiated for the then president Goodluck Jonathan.”

The source explained that with the backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sowore was among the strong activists who were warming up to topple Jonathan’s government in the name of protests if he had won the 2015 election.

“So I’m not surprised that the presidency wasn’t complacent when the #RevolutionNowMovement was about to gather momentum,” our source added.  

The rights group advocating for Sowore’s release include the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Coalition for Revolution, Open Society for West Africa, Nigerians in Diaspora Europe (Belgium-Luxembourg), Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda among others.

The 48 organisations, who petitioned the UN and AU, argued that the treat of Sowore constitutes a violation of his right not to be arbitrarily detained, right to a fair trial, right to freedom of expression, right of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and his rights as a human rights defender.

The organisations, assisted by Nani Jansen Reventlow from Doughty Street Chambers, are calling upon the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the situation of human rights defenders, and African Commission Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression and human rights defenders to intervene urgently to secure the immediate release of Sowore and declare his arrest and continued detention a gross violation of his human rights.

Leave A Comment