Hundreds of representatives from Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt have called on the Nigerian Government to drop charges against Sahara Reporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
The groups met under the auspices of the Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Forum, the biggest network of Nigerians in the United States and Europe.
SNMBF also said while terrorist group, Boko Haram, appears to be backed by powerful government officials and its members integrated into the society, Nigerian authorities continues to hunt and detain promoters of freedom of expression.
It raised suspicion that since the campaign of violence by Boko Haram began, non of its members had been convicted in a law court even in the face of reports of arrests of their commanders.
SNMBF said that the fastest solution to justice in Nigeria was to allow freedom of speech, adding that the lack of it was partly responsible for violence in some parts of the country.
The group called on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to drop all charges against Sowore as he had no bad intentions by demanding for a better country.
The group said, “The charges against Sowore are frivolous. What we see is a clear attempt to silence Sahara Reporters and sniff life out of the medium.
“It is time to drop the charges against Sowore. The Federal Government has lost face on this issue. No act of treason has been linked to him. It is sad that the Federal Government wants to punish him by using state machinery to settle personal political scores.”
SNMBF said Sowore remains one of the most outstanding defenders of democracy, adding that local and international community will hold the Nigerian Government responsible if any harm came to Sowore.
On alternative security for the Southern and Middle Belt states, the group stated, “We are worried that the killings have continued unabated.
“Kidnapping has not stopped. In Middle Belt, the South-East and South-South, people are restless. We cannot continue to watch things degenerate to a state of anarchy.”
The group expressed appreciation to South-West governors over the creation of Amotekun.
