Proponents of #FreeSowore Protest denied access to Unity Fountain

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The arrowhead of Concerned Nigerians, Mr. Deji Adeyanju and other proponents of #FreeSowore Protest match were yesterday barred from using the Abuja Unity Fountain arena for their one million-man match to press for the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omowole Sowore.

Truckloads of soldiers, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and officers of Nigerian Prison Service were stationed around the place to prevent the protesters from having access to the area.

Nevertheless, addressing the #FreeSowore protest campaigners, Adeyanju, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had continued to imprison Nigerians who dare to criticise his “maladministration” and had no deference for divergent opinion.

Adeyanju, who said proponents of #FreeSowore protest would not be cowed by government’s battalion of security operatives, added that the president pretended that he was a repentant democrat to get the confidence and votes of Nigerians.

He said Sowore, Dadi Yata, Jones Abiri, Steven Kefas and other social and media critics held by the present administration as prisoners of conscience, represent uncountable numbers of other Nigerians he called victims of Buhari’s government.

He said even if the President withdraws all the security operatives deployed to fight insurgency in the northeast and other parts of the country to stop the #FreeSowore activists, the protest will not stop.

Another activist, Mr. Raphael Adebayo said even if the federal government arrests more protesters, one million others would fight his policies.

Adebayo added that the protest was not just for the freedom of Sowore and other “prisoners of conscience” but for the soul of Nigeria.

Also, the deputy president of Middle Belt Forum, Ms Ndi Kato said the protest would be sustained until the government learns to respect the will of the people.

“It is high time we let go the shackles of our military dictatorship. We cannot have 20 years of military dictatorship and still allow the shackles to remain with us. The modus operandi of criminal and government’s abduction has remained the same. When someone is taken, we do not know where the person is taken to.”

It would be recalled that Sowore who was the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the February 23 presidential election, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Lagos on August 3 ahead of the planned #RevolutionNow Protest slated for August 5.

To avoid running afoul of the law which stipulates that an accused cannot be detained for more than 48 hours, the agency approached the Federal High Court, Abuja for an order to keep Sowore for 90 days pending the conclusion of investigation.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Thursday August 8, granted the request sought by the DSS.

However, instead of 90 days sought by the secret police, the court granted 45 days.

The period, according to Justice Taiwo, is to enable the Department of State Service (DSS) carry out and conclude its investigation of Sowore on allegations of instigating the public and seeking a change of the present administration order than the provided constitutional means of doing so.

However, the judge said if investigation was not concluded at the end of the 45 days, the applicant could apply for a fresh order but must not keep the accused without a court order.

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