The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) has strongly condemned the arrest and remand of activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, describing the development as a dangerous assault on democratic freedoms and civil liberties in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Salako Kayode, the group denounced the action of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the decision of Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to revoke Sowore’s bail and remand him in Kuje Correctional Centre.
The condemnation followed dramatic scenes at the Federal High Court when DSS operatives reportedly moved to arrest Sowore within the court premises shortly after the judge ordered his detention until Wednesday. Members of the AAC and the Take It Back Movement reportedly resisted the move, leading to a tense standoff inside the court.
The court had also dismissed an application by Sowore seeking the recusal of the presiding judge in his trial over comments in which he described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The RSM argued that revoking Sowore’s bail was unjustifiable, noting that the activist had earlier been granted bail on self-recognition when the case commenced. According to the group, the continued prosecution and detention of Sowore transcends the fate of one individual and represents an attack on the constitutional rights of all Nigerians to freedom of expression, association and political dissent.
The organisation accused the Nigerian state of increasingly deploying arrests, prosecutions and judicial processes to intimidate and silence critics instead of addressing pressing national concerns, including economic hardship, unemployment, poverty and worsening insecurity.
“Democracy cannot flourish where citizens are punished for expressing dissenting views. The right to criticise government policies and demand accountability is fundamental to any society that claims to be democratic,” the statement said.
The RSM consequently demanded the immediate reversal of what it termed undemocratic actions against Sowore, an end to the alleged persecution of activists and opposition voices, and respect for citizens’ constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The movement also called on workers, youths, students, trade unions, civil society organisations and pro-democracy groups across the country to resist what it described as a growing trend of criminalising dissent and democratic activism in Nigeria.
It warned that suppressing critical voices would only deepen concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in the country, insisting that the aspirations of Nigerians for freedom, dignity and social justice cannot be extinguished through repression.
Michael Olugbode
