Detained activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, says there is no legal basis for his arrest by the Nigeria Police Force, accusing authorities of intimidation and mistreatment, Peak Newspaper Nigeria reports.
Speaking from custody at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, during a police-led visit by protesters and journalists, Sowore claimed there is no basis for any citizen in Nigeria to be arrested by the IGP because the IGP feels threatened by the legality of opposition. I just want you to know that all these are unnecessary.
“What should have been done (by the police) is to swallow their pride, release me from detention, apologise to me and ensure that I can go for proper treatment, but they want to hide it.
“Since I came here yesterday, they broke my hand, they have not been able to bring a doctor, they brought a nurse.
“Instead of bringing the doctor, they went and brought the media. I was expecting it,” he lamented in a live stream posted by Peak Newspaper Nigeria
Sowore, on Wednesday, honoured the invitation by the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit in Abuja and has been detained since then.
The police said they were investigating the activist based on two petitions bordering on alleged forgery of a police document and cyberbullying.
The Commissioner of Police for the Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Shogunle, had earlier insisted Sowore was unharmed and was being held for refusing to make a statement in connection with two petitions one alleging forgery of a police document, the other cyberbullying.
Protests demanding his release have erupted in Lagos, Abuja, Osun, and Oyo states.
