On Friday, August 8, 2025, Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, called for the immediate release of activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore or for him to be formally charged, condemning his detention by the Nigerian Police Force as an abuse of power. In a statement on his X handle (@PeterObi, 22:24 WAT, August 7, 2025), Obi expressed dismay over Sowore’s arrest on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, after he voluntarily honored an invitation by the Inspector-General of Police’s Monitoring Unit in Abuja. Obi highlighted the absence of clear or credible charges, describing the detention as a “miscarriage of justice” that erodes public trust in law enforcement institutions. He emphasized that Sowore’s good-faith compliance and lack of flight risk made the police action unjustifiable, quoting Plato to underscore the need for justice in state conduct.
Obi’s call was echoed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero, who questioned the police’s repeated arrests of Sowore—three times in 2025 alone, per Legit.ng—and urged legal recourse over harassment. Amnesty International reported that Sowore sustained a broken arm during a transfer attempt without legal counsel, labeling it a violation of due process. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the incident as a “shameful abuse of power” on X (@atiku, August 7, 2025). The police, via Force PRO ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, have not disclosed specific charges, fueling accusations of targeting dissent, especially after Sowore’s social media posts criticizing government policies. X posts from @SaharaReporters (August 7, 2025) and @Naija_Activist highlighted public outrage, with Sowore’s lawyer Tope Temokun demanding his release by August 9, 2025, or legal action. The detention, linked to alleged cybercrime violations under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, reflects ongoing tensions over freedom of expression, per NigerianEye.
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