The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on his arrival from the United States but was later released.
In a post he made on X on Sunday, Sowore made the news of his arrest known, highlighting that his international passport was also seized by the security agency.
He said “DETAINED BY THE @NigerianImmigration, my International passport confiscated. I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA to the MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.
This is not unexpected because i have always known that It is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt. In case this becomes another prolonged and protracted detention, I urge our citizens to ensure they ALL stop tyranny by all means acceptable and necessary, by engaging in the planned series of direct actions slated for October 1st and beyond.”
His friend and lawyer with Femi Falana Chambers, Marshal Abubakar, confirmed the arrest in a short WhatsApp message to ARISE News in Abuja on Sunday. Sowore had earlier been placed on the watch list of security agencies.
He said, “BREAKING!!! Comrade Omoyele Sowore arrives Nigeria, being detained without a warrant or arrest order at the international Airport Lagos by Immigration officials. He has also not been informed of the reasons for his unlawful detention by the Nigerian authorities…”
When asked to give details, he said Sowore spoke with him, saying the decision was informed by the earlier directive by the Director-General of the DSS to arrest him.
The arrest came a few hours after Sowore had alerted the public in the social media of plans by the secret police to arrest him.
However Abubakar in an update said, “I spoke with him, he has been released.”
Friday Olokor
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