Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised the arrest of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore by the police for leading a protest demanding the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 23, via his X handle, Atiku denounced the action as “tyrannical” and a further indication of the government’s intolerance for dissent.
He urged authorities to respect citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful protest and free expression, warning that suppressing dissenting voices undermines democracy and the rule of law.
“I have just been informed of the arrest of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, as well as the arrest of several other citizens who were peacefully protesting in different parts of the country.
“I am shocked and disappointed, but not surprised. Shocked that in 2025, decades after we defeated military rule, this government still treats dissent as a crime.
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“Those in power today once thrived on protests. But Bola Tinubu continues to show Nigerians exactly who he is and what he intends to be, if we allow him,” he said.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also stated that Sowore’s arrest inside a courtroom was an open assault on democracy, insisting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right.
“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. Democracy cannot coexist with tyranny,” he added.
