The former vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has slammed the arrest and detention of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, by the Nigeria police, describing the action as personal vendetta.
Atiku, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who called for the immediate release of Sowore said in a statement on Wednesday, shared in his social media handles that “The treatment of Omoyele Sowore by the IGP Monitoring Team is a shameful abuse of power. It is wrong, unlawful, and must be condemned by all who believe in justice.”
He said “Sowore’s only offence is speaking out against injustice, nepotism, and misrule. For that, he was reportedly attacked at dawn, beaten, had his arm broken, and sprayed with chemicals by policemen acting on petitions from the IGP’s own office.
“This is personal vendetta, not policing.” Atiku declared.
He reminded the police authorities of the need to adhere strictly to the Force rules and regulations, saying, their actions towards Sowore was at variance with extant regulations “Even the Nigeria Police Regulation forbids this. Regulation 367 states:
“No police officer shall institute any legal proceeding in his own personal interest or in connection with matters arising out of his public duties.”
“The IGP cannot be a complainant and still deploy the force to carry out his grievance.”
“This is not about Sowore alone, it is an attack on every Nigerian who dares to speak truth to power.”
Mr Sowore was arrested and detained after honouring police invitation over alleged defamation.
