The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the Nigeria Police Force to either release activist Omoleye Sowore immediately or charge him to court, following his detention after voluntarily responding to a police invitation.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Friday, Obi expressed deep concern over the police’s actions, warning that such conduct risks undermining public trust in Nigeria’s institutions.
Obi criticized the decision to detain Sowore, who willingly presented himself for questioning, describing it as an overreach that could further erode confidence in law enforcement.
“The prolonged detention of a citizen who honored a police invitation is unacceptable and has the potential to weaken the faith of Nigerians in our democratic institutions,” Obi wrote.
He urged the authorities to adhere to due process, emphasizing that Sowore should either be released or formally charged in accordance with the law.
The former Anambra State Governor said, “I was deeply disturbed to learn of the arrest of Mr Omoyele Sowore @YeleSowore yesterday, shortly after he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Nigerian Police Force.
“At the time of writing, no clear or credible charges have been made public, which further casts a troubling shadow over the nature and motivation behind his detention.
“His arrest, particularly under circumstances where he presented himself in good faith to law enforcement, should be condemned by all who value justice and due process.
“From all indications, no urgency or criminal flight risk warranted such high-handed treatment.
“To detain a citizen who came of his own accord, without the public disclosure of clear, lawful charges, is not only a miscarriage of justice but an abuse of state power.
“As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato rightly said, “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.
“When those entrusted with power act unjustly, they poison not only the legal order but also the moral conscience of the nation.
“I therefore call on the Nigerian Police to immediately release Omoyele Sowore or charge him formally under the law.
“Anything short of this would be a further erosion of public trust in the nation’s law enforcement institutions.
“It is our collective duty to insist that the rule of law must apply to all citizens – regardless of ideology, background, or political alignment.”
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