Sowore, designated as the Amnesty International's Prisoner of Conscience, is being targeted for backing and mobilising millions of Nigerians for the nationwide protests held in the first 10 days of August tagged #EndBadGovernance.
Global human rights body, the Amnesty International, has condemned the plans of President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government to arrest human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, upon his return to the country.
Sowore, designated as the Amnesty International's Prisoner of Conscience, is being targeted for backing and mobilising millions of Nigerians for the nationwide protests held in the first 10 days of August tagged #EndBadGovernance.
Amnesty International, in a press statement issued on Saturday, warned that the alleged plans to arrest Sowore would constitute arbitrary restrictions and suppression of the government’s critics in the country.
The organisation also demanded an immediate end to the continued prosecution and detention of dozens of protesters by the government.
The statement reads: “Amnesty International is deeply concerned about the alleged reports of plans by the Nigerian authorities to arrest human rights activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore whenever he returns to Nigeria.
“Omoyele Sowore is targeted simply for peacefully exercising his human rights. The government of President Bola Tinubu must publicly commit to allow Sowore and other Nigerians to freely exercise their constitutionally and internationally recognid human rights including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and movement.
“Omoyele Sowore is Amnesty International’s Prisoner Of Conscience.
“The alleged plans to arrest Omoyele Sowore upon his arrival in Nigeria would amount to arbitrary restrictions which would have a chilling effect on the exercise by Nigerians of their human rights and discourage the public from criticizing the authorities.
“Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, both of which Nigeria has ratified, everyone has the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and movement.
“Nigerian authorities should guarantee and ensure the human rights of Omoyele Sowore whenever he returns to the country and other human rights defenders, activists and journalists.
“Authorities should end the weaponisation of security agents to harass, intimidate and abuse critics, human rights, activists, journalists, and whistleblowers, and uphold the human rights of everyone in the country.
“The alleged threat to arrest Omoyele Sowore upon his arrival in Nigeria followed the escalating crackdown on human rights, peaceful dissent and media freedom in the country.
“Last week, Nigeria’s Department of State Services arbitrarily arrested NLC President Joe Ajaero and invaded the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project barely 24 hours after the organisation urged Tinubu to instruct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to promptly reverse the hike in the pump price of petrol and to probe allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC.”