A coalition of civil society organisations on Monday in Abuja staged a peaceful protest at the Embassy of United States over the ‘city detention’ of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore.
The protesters called on the US Government to prevail on the Nigerian Government to set the activist free.
A formal petition submitted by the coalition reads, “It is clear that the court and the state do not want to hear both Mr Sowore’s bail conditions appeal and to also proceed with the hoax and imaginary trial respectively.
“We the coalition of civil society organisation together with RevolutionNow are demanding the intervention of United States and every human rights organisations to put pressure on Nigerian Government to drop charges of both Mr Sowore and Olawale Bakare.
“The healthcare system is dilapidated, insecurity is top-notch as Southern Kaduna, Benue, Borno, Zamfara and Katsina are bleeding at the moment.”
The protesters maintained that poverty had ravaged the country making Nigeria the world’s poverty capital, adding that the government should worry about pressing issues that would make life more meaningful for Nigerians.
Leader of the group, Sydney Usman, condemned the arrest of Lance Corporal Martins by the Nigerian Army for calling for good security architecture.
He said, “The Lance Corporal is detained in an unsecured manner and is deliberately denied access to his lawyers and family members in disregard to the court orders.
“This is a clear show of tyranny and dictatorship on the side of Nigerian Government against her citizens.”
A formal copy of the petition was presented to officials of the US Embassy, who assured the protesters of speedy action on their demands.
Sowore has been confined to Abuja since December when he was released on bail following his arrest by the Nigerian Government in August 2019 on trumped-up charges of planning to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari after he asked citizens to demand a better country from the ruling class.
His bail condition forbids him from speaking to journalists and leaving Abuja until the end of his trial.
