Skip to main content

World Watching How You Handle Sowore’s Case, United States Councilwoman Tells Nigerian Government

December 24, 2019

Sowore was rearrested by operatives of the Department of State Services on December 6, 2019 inside the Federal High Court, Abuja, less than 24 hours after he was released on bail after spending 125 days in detention.

Image

 

A New Jersey, United States, Councilwoman, Jackie Guenego, who is one of the organisers of the Group of Haworth moms, a movement formed to demand the release and safe return of Omoyele Sowore to New Jersey, has told the Nigerian Government that the world was watching how it handles Sowore’s case.

Guenego while speaking on a radio programme on WNYC on Monday, thanked the foreign government and international rights organisations for their work in ensuring that Sowore is released.

Answering a question on if actions abroad can have an impact on Nigerian Government to release the journalist, Guenego stated that while it might not directly influence decisions the government would take regarding Sowore’s case, it would create an awareness within the government that the world was watching.

She said, “The video of his rearrest was so disturbing and it has caught the attention of a lot of people.

“The message that is being sent is that the world is watching, we are watching as well as the US Government, UK Government, European Union, Amnesty International, JK Foundation, and it has caught a lot of attention.” 

Opeyemi Sowore, wife of Omoyele, said she was working on getting the intervention of the United Nations to join in the demand for her husband’s release.

She said, “We have sent urgent appeals as well as a peace session submitted by the RFK human rights organisation and we are really hoping the UN can stand up to my husband’s release.”

Sowore was rearrested by operatives of the Department of State Services on December 6, 2019 inside the Federal High Court, Abuja, less than 24 hours after he was released on bail after spending 125 days in detention.

He was first arrested on August 3 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The government has accused him of insulting Buhari and planning to bring down his regime.

Despite two court orders directing his release on bail, Sowore remains detained by the DSS and is yet to be told the reason for his rearrest.