Atiku on Sowore: Kidnappings in the guise of arrests must be condemned

Atiku Abubakar, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised an alarm over the kidnap of Nigerians by state security operatives.

In a tweet on Saturday, Atiku said the recent “kidnappings in the guise of arrests” must be condemned.

The former vice-president said this in reaction to the arrest of Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 elections and publishers of Sahara Reporters.

“Freedom of speech is not only constitutionally guaranteed, it is the substructure of our democracy. These kidnappings in the guise of arrests stand condemned,” Atiku tweeted.

Freedom of speech is not only constitutionally guaranteed, it is the substructure of our democracy. These kidnappings in the guise of arrests stands condemned. -AA

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) August 3, 2019

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Sowore from his Lagos residence in the early hours of Saturday.

The activist’s arrest is suspected to be connected to #RevolutionNow, a movement on planned protests “against bad governance in Nigeria”.

Sowore had been actively involved in the plans for the nationwide protest scheduled to begin on Monday, August 5.

He was said to have been picked up in the early hours of Saturday and taken to the Lagos head office of the secret police on CMD Road, Magodo, Ikosi, Ketu.

SaharaReporters, Sowore’s online outfit, said his phone was forcefully seized before the arrest.