- Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the recent action meted out against political activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, by the Nigeria Police Force
- The former vice president accused the police of constitutional breach and alleged that the Force has launched a personal vendetta against Sowore while in custody
- Legit.ng reported that Sowore was detained on Wednesday, August 6, after honouring an invitation by the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has condemned the alleged assault and maltreatment of human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.
Photo credit: Atiku Abubakar, Omoyele Sowore
Source: Facebook
Atiku, in a post shared on his X page on Thursday, August 7, described the incident as a “shameful abuse of power” and an act of personal vendetta by the Nigeria Police Force.
As reported by Vanguard, Sowore, a former presidential candidate, was reportedly brutalised on Thursday morning during an attempt by officers from the Inspector General of Police’s Monitoring Unit to forcibly move him from detention to court.
The Punch reported that the lawyer representing Sowore accused the police of subjecting his client to inhumane treatment while in custody.
He alleged that Sowore’s hand was broken in the process, and he was allegedly sprayed with chemicals.
Photo credit: Nigeria Police Force
Source: Facebook
Reacting to the incident, Atiku, in a statement, strongly condemned the action by the police and questioned the legality of the IGP’s involvement.
“The treatment of @YeleSowore by the IGP Monitoring Team is a shameful abuse of power. It is wrong, unlawful, and must be condemned by all who believe in justice,” Atiku tweeted.
Atiku further described the arrest as politically motivated.
“Sowore’s only offence is speaking out against injustice, nepotism, and misrule. For that, he was reportedly attacked at dawn, beaten, had his arm broken, and sprayed with chemicals by policemen acting on petitions from the IGP’s own office. This is personal vendetta, not policing,” he said.
Quoting Section 367 of the Nigeria Police Regulation, Atiku pointed out the illegality of the IGP acting as both complainant and enforcer.
Atiku warned that the attack on Sowore is a broader threat to democratic freedom.
“This is not about Sowore alone, it is an attack on every Nigerian who dares to speak truth to power. This must stop,” he declared.
Amnesty Int’l slams police for allegedly breaking Sowore’s arm
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Amnesty International has accused Nigerian police of violently assaulting detained activist Omoyele Sowore during an early morning transfer attempt.
Sowore reportedly sustained a broken arm after resisting being taken to court without access to legal counsel.
The rights group has demanded immediate medical attention for Sowore and accountability for what it described as a blatant abuse of due process.
Read more about Atiku, Sowore here:
Sowore allege police officer stole his AI eyeglasses
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Omoyele Sowore accused a plain-clothed police officer of stealing his AI Ray-Ban glasses during a protest in Abuja.
The protest, led by Sowore and retired police officers, demanded improved pensions and fair treatment for ex-officers.
Despite alleged sabotage attempts, protesters marched peacefully, vowing to continue demonstrations nationwide in August.
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Source: Legit.ng
