The International Press Centre (IPC) has joined the Nigerian civil rights community in condemning the arrest and detention of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore over a frivolous petition by a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko.
A team of armed policemen who laid siege to the entrance of the Court of Appeal had last Thursday arrested and detained Sowore.
He was taken to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit, otherwise known as Abattoir, located at Guzape where he was detained for hours.
IPC in a statement on Tuesday that was signed by its Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, described Sowore’s arrest as another sign of brutal encroachments on people’s fundamental rights, that is becoming the hallmark of the government.
The group says any politician who feels they have been unduly misrepresented has a right of reply in the media or in the alternative seek legal redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.
“His latest ordeal is another one too many and the security agents must learn that they can only take up any grievance against him in the law courts and so should desist from extra-judicial conduct,” Arogundade said.
He also lamented the repressive attacks meted out to journalists with Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) by men of the Nigeria Police in Asaba, Delta State.
“The three journalists: Comrade Eddy Akpati Ogude, Manager News & Current Affairs; Miss Eunice Emayazi and Austin Ogbotor, cameraman were monitoring long vehicular queues occasioned by the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Northwest Filling Station, Mariam Banagida Way, Asaba when they were brutally assaulted, according to reports from the desk of the press freedom monitor in the South-South.
“The Newsnet stated that the two male journalists were held hostage (although they have now been released), while Miss Emayazi sustained body injuries with her phone and video camera destroyed by the men of the Nigeria Police Force, who were angered by the coverage of the shady activities at the filling station,” the statement read.
Arogundade noted with dismay the unwelcome conduct of policemen in applying brute force against the journalists including a female one in the course of legitimate duty.
He demanded that the perpetrators of the dastardly act be fished out, prosecuted and also made to settle the medical bills of the victims.
