The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, who was reportedly detained on Thursday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the group described the detention of the activist as a blatant violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
SERAP urged the Nigerian Police to put an end to the persecution of Sowore, demanding the peaceful exercise of his human rights.
“Authorities must drop all charges against him and release him without delay,” the organisation stated.
SERAP maintained that Sowore’s detention constitutes arbitrary imprisonment in breach of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Nigeria’s commitments under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“These legally binding human rights treaties and the Constitution unequivocally prohibit arbitrary detention. No one should be arrested or detained simply for peacefully exercising their constitutionally and internationally recognised rights, including freedom of expression,” the statement added.
SERAP urged the Nigerian government to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all citizens, warning that continued repression of peaceful dissent undermines democracy and civil liberties.
Sowore, a prominent activist and former presidential aspirant, has faced multiple arrests in recent years, often linked to his vocal criticism of government policies and advocacy for political reform.
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