By Chidimma Okwara,
Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly condemned the recent arrest of activist Omoyele Sowore and several other citizens who were engaged in peaceful protests. Atiku described the arrests as an “open assault on democracy” and a clear violation of fundamental human rights.
The condemnation follows the detention of Sowore and others during FreeNnamdiKaluNow protest.
In a statement released through his media office, Atiku emphasized that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are non-negotiable pillars of a democratic society. He argued that the actions of the Nigerian Police Force demonstrate a worrying trend of shrinking civic space under the current administration.
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“The action of the police in arresting citizens who are exercising their democratic right to protest is unacceptable. A democracy thrives on the ability of its citizens to voice dissent without fear of brutal reprisal,” the statement read. “When the government employs the instruments of state coercion to silence legitimate criticism, it undermines the very foundation of the Nigerian Constitution.”
Atiku called for the immediate and unconditional release of Sowore and all other arrested protesters, insisting that the government must focus on addressing the root causes of public discontent, rather than suppressing the messengers.
This statement adds significant political weight to the ongoing debate over security forces’ handling of protests in the country. Several human rights organizations have consistently accused security agencies of disproportionate use of force and arbitrary arrests against activists.
Atiku linked the crackdown on protesters to broader governance failures, stating that the government’s energy should be directed towards improving the economic conditions of Nigerians, which often fuel the protests in the first place.
His condemnation is seen as an attempt to consolidate the political opposition’s stance against what they term as autocratic tendencies. The incident, according to political analysts, further polarizes the relationship between the governing party and the opposition ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
