US Senator, Congressman Write Nigeria Govt Over Continued Detention Of Sowore

A United States senator, Robert Menendez and Josh Gottheimer, a member of congress, have petitioned the Nigerian Head of Mission to America, Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, over the continued detention of pro-democracy campaigner and Publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore.

The US lawmakers expressed concern over the continued detention of Sowore despite fulfilling bail conditions twice after court orders.

The petition reads in part, “We write to express our strong concern over closing media and civic space in Nigeria.

“There have been a lot of troubling reports about Nigerian security services assaulting and detaining journalists using excessive force on non-violent protesters and taking other actions that inhibit freedom of expression, and otherwise prevent Nigerians from fully exercising their fundamental constitutional rights.”

The lawmakers called on Buhari to do the right thing because the international community was watching and will not be quiet until Sowore and other prisoners of conscience were released.

“Journalists and activists such as Omoyele Sowore, Jones Abiri, Kofi Bartel, Samuel Ogundipe, and other investigating and speaking-out about politically sensitive problems like corruption or insecurity have been harassed and detained: with reports that some have even been tortured.

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“In at least one instance, the Department of Security Service has ignored a court order to release a detained activists. Restrictions and deadly crackdowns on non-violent protesters since 2015 have similarly reflected a lack of apparent commitment to Civic freedom which is beginning to negatively impact the image of Nigeria’s government, both at home and abroad.

“Security force used live ammunition on Shiite protesters in Zaria and Kaduna states in 2015, on protesters in Onitsha, Anambra State in 2016: again on a Shiite procession in Abuja in 2018, raided the officers of the Daily Trust, and arrested the editor in January 2019, and shot and killed Precious Owolabi, a journalist covering a July 2019 protest in Abuja.

“These crackdowns have collectively killed hundreds of Nigeria citizens, and serve as troubling demonstrations of the excessive force used by the military. The alleged perpetrators of these abuse have yet to be brought to Justice.

“Mr. Ambassador, Nigeria have a critical role to play in preserving peace and stability in West Africa, and as the most populous democracy on the continent it could serve as a shinning example of how counties can observe the right enshrined in Africa Charter on Human and people’s Rights .

“However failures to respect the right in the Charter and those in Nigeria’s own Constitution undermine your action’s ability to lead in this area. We urge to ensure that the rights and liberties contained in the Constitution are observed for all citizens, and to take further action against closing of journalists. Political opposition, and those in civil society.

“The rights of all citizens must be respected without the threat of government reprisal. We look forward to seeing progress on this critically important issue.

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“Thank you for your attention on this urgent matter”.

According to agency report, the government is accusing Sowore of insulting Buhari and planning to bring down his regime, a claim observers around the world have described as baseless.

Despite two separate orders by the Federal High Court in Abuja directing his release after meeting stringent bail conditions, the DSS has refused to release Sowore, casting a huge shadow over the human rights record of Buhari’s regime.