#RevolutionNow: The ‘Abduction’ of Sowore Shows Nigeria sliding to Dark Days of Military Regime – Deji Adeyanju

Deji Adeyanuu, the Convener, Concerned Nigerians (CCN), has condemned what he called the abduction of human right activist, Omoyele Sowore by the Department of State Service (DSS) over a planned protest against the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari tagged #RevolutionNow.

The protest is expected to be held simultaneously across some states in Nigeria.

“At a time when democracy is being entrenched and strengthened all over the world, Nigeria is sliding back to the dark days of military regime where citizens are being hounded and afraid to ask salient questions as to how they should be governed,” Adeyanju said.

READ: #RevolutionNow Organisers Dare FG, Plan to Go Ahead With Protest

Another Some civil society, the Advocates of People’s Right and Justice (APRJ) also condemned the arrest and detention of Sowore, insisting that it was the right of every citizen to protest by expressing their opinions on issues that affected them.

The Coordinator of the grou, Victor Giwa, said Sowore’s arrest on the basis of a call for protest “is illegal and unconstitutional as the protest is to call on citizens to express their rage if they have any against the government.”

Also speaking on his arrest, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Middle Belt Youth Council and the National Council of Tiv Youths said the best that the police could do in the circumstance was to mobilise its operatives to keep proper surveillance on the protests.

Steve Aluko, the Director of the CLO in an interview with Punch said that citizens had a right to protest.

READ: Sowore Has Done Nothing to Suggest He Wants to Overthrow Government – Soyinka

He said, “It is an ineligible right, the government that makes policies and programmes that promote inhumanity, marginalisation and vulnerability of its people only propels the engine room to incite the people to legitimate revolt.”