ANEEJ Condemns arrest, Detention of Omoyele Sowore

BENIN CITY, NIGERIA. September 16, 2024… The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has condemned the arrest and detention of Omoyele Sowore upon his arrival from the US at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos by the Nigerian Immigration Service which claimed they acted on the orders of the Federal Government. He was later released along with his passport.

The Executive Director of ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor in a reaction, condemned the embarrassing arrest and detention of the Rights activist and called on the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to desist from the harassment of Rights activist in Nigeria.

“We outrightly condemn the embarrassing arrest and detention of Omoyele Sowore by the Nigeria Immigration Service upon his arrival from the United States of America. The government should also consider the implication of such actions on its own image. Continued harassment of protesters and persons opposed to the hardship and escalating poverty in the country is highly condemnable.”

“The government, should rather focus on actions that would help reduce hardship and poverty in the country. The government should channel its energy in dealing with the resultants effects of floating the Naira and the subsidy brouhaha rather than going after activists who hold alternative views.”

The ANEEJ boss reminded the Federal Government to respect the fundamental rights of Nigerians. “We call on the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to respect the rights of Nigerians to their freedom of expression, right to peaceful assembly and right to protest. That someone is the leader of peaceful protesters should not be criminalized by the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because, before becoming the President of Nigeria, he enjoyed the protection of all such rights.” Ugolor said.

ANEEJ tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent steps to reduce the price of petrol, arrest the forex crisis that has seen the value of the Naira dipping dangerously to an all-time low so that Nigerians can breathe some fresh air.

The pro-democracy and human rights organization also called on government to rachet up efforts at ameliorating the sufferings of citizens, particularly the poor Nigerians who bear the brunt of the hardship the most.

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