Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore on Sunday said the Nigerian government will on Tuesday charge him afresh for treasonable felony.
Sowore said on Monday, he would likely face charges over “criminal defamation of one of Nigeria’s biggest crooks, Ned Nwoko”.
According to the activist, the fresh charges are being filed by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government over its fear that he will soon declare to run for President.
“On Monday I will likely face charges over ‘Criminal Defamation of one of Nigeria’s biggest crooks, Ned Nwoko’ and on March 1st the Nigerian govt will charge me afresh for ‘Treasonable Felony,'” he said on Sunday.
Reacting to the headline of a report saying, ‘Sowore To Make Presidential Declaration Next Week!’, the activist said it is the “reason they are very afraid”.
“No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come,” he added, quoting Victor Hugo, who is regarded as one of France’s greatest poets to ever live.
A team of armed policemen who laid siege to the entrance of the Court of Appeal in Abuja had last Thursday arrested Sowore over a frivolous petition by a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko.
He was taken to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit, otherwise known as Abattoir, located at Guzape.
Speaking after his release, the activist said he was optimistic about becoming the next president of the country, adding that he was not threatened by anyone.
“I knew this is what’s going to happen and I’m not surprised that that’s what they did. But when we got here, I made it clear to everybody, all of the police officers involved that I can’t write any statement and I won’t accept any kind of bail condition attached to my release,” he said.
“They took me to their detention when they were tired, they came and called me that I should be going home. So I’m heading home now; no reason to worry. We know why this is happening, they are afraid of the future, they are afraid Sowore will declare very soon and become the president of Nigeria, you can’t stop me.”
The Buhari-led government had earlier arraigned Sowore and Olawale Bakare on charges relating to treasonable felony, for organising the ‘Revolution Now’ protest on August 5, 2019, which the government desperately used security agents to clamp down on.
