We received with great distress the Wrongful Arrest and Unlawful detention of the person of Mr. Omoyele Sowore alongside other Rights activists this morning when the Group took a Peaceful work around the Gudu metropolis of Abuja to carrying out a Peaceful Protest Proceeding to mark the advent of the New Year.
We have been reliably informed that the Group of Activist led Mr. Omoyele Sowore, a rights Activist and former Presidential Aspirant had commenced a Peaceful Protest Walk when a team of Policemen stormed their Protest with brute force assaulting them and indeed inflicting injuries on the person of Mr. Sowore before snatching them away in the full clear of the general public.
Let it be abundantly clear that Nigeria is a Democratic Federation governed by the ethos of Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law. It is thus sickening to witness the abysmal defiance and disregard that the Nigerian police force has employed in its intentional infraction of the fundamental rights of peaceful citizen in the pursuit of their individual fundamental rights as guaranteed under our democracy.
We join all reasonable and lawful persons and institutions to condemn this act of executive lawlessness and further contend that no harm must come to Mr. SOWORE and his fellow Compatriots as our law is unequivocal that Human Life is Sacred and must be treated as such. We further demand for the immediate release of Mr. OMOYELE SOWORE and his fellow Compatriots without further delay whilst stressing that our Laws does not criminalize Peaceful Protests.
Indeed, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, which stands as the Grundnorm, in fact emphatically provides for and promotes the right to Freedom of Speech, thoughts and Conscience, the right to Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assemblies, the right to Personal Liberty, Right to Freedom from Torture or inhuman treatment amongst others. All of these inalienable rights have been breached today by the men of the Nigerian Police, hence we call on President Muhammadu Buhari, having swore to defend and uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guaranteed these rights, to arise now and reinforce the rights of these Activists that has been abused and bring about their immediate release whilst also punishing the errant Police officers who have today breached these fundamental rights he is sworn to protect.
We are resolute to proceed in every lawful means to enforce the rights of Mr. Omoyele Sowore and his compatriots in the event that positive steps are not taken to heed our demands above. Let Justice Be Done Even If Heavens Fall.
Signed:
Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq.
Nat. Coordinator
COALITION OF PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYERS AND ADVOCATES (COPA)
