Human rights lawyer Festus Ogun has criticized the charges filed against Omoyele Sowore, calling them an attack on free speech and a direct infringement on civic rights.
Peak Newspaper Nigeria reports that Ogun taking to his Facebook page on Thursday morning, wrote, Sowore was arrested by the Police on the instructions of an illegitimate IGP for “investigation”.
The nominal complainant was IGP. Now, both complainant and investigator is the IGP. Learnt they obtained a remand order prior to his arrest. Nigeria Police is irredeemably cursed.
One thing is certain: this unprecedented attack on Mr Omoyele Sowore’s fundamental rights to dignity of human person, personal liberty and freedom of expression will be strongly resisted.
He added that Egbetokun and his co-travelers are forbidden by law to use Police in setting personal scores.
Sowore was reportedly detained after he was invited for questioning over a petition alleging forgery and criminal defamation.
Sources said Sowore, who voluntarily honoured the invitation and arrived at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in the company of his legal team, A.K. Musa, Marshal Abubakar and several supporters, was asked to wait for a Deputy Inspector General of Police following his demand to see an original copy of the petition against him.
He told the police that if he did not see the petition against him, he would not write his statement.
Consequently, the source said a valid court order approving Sowore’s detention was secured.
It was further gathered that Sowore’s lawyers requested to see the court order that granted the police the right to justify his detention, a request which the police allegedly did not oblige them.
