Nigerians in South Africa protest Sowore’s arrest

Some Nigerians in South Africa have protested the arrest of Omoyele Sowore, ex-presidential candidate, by the Department of State Service (DSS).

The DSS had arrested Sowore in Lagos on Saturday for spearheading a nationwide protest tagged #RevolutionNow.

He was subsequently moved to Abuja.

The police said Sowore was arrested because he crossed the “red line”.

According to Channels Television, the protesters, under the auspices of Take It Back movement led by Sowore, on Wednesday, made their way to the Nigerian high commission in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital.

Led by Doris Ikeri-Solarin, the protesters said they were unhappy with the situation back home in Nigeria.

They demanded that the federal government immediately release Sowore and other members of the movement kept in police custody.

“As Nigerians resident in South Africa, we are moved to come to you as our father and representative here to pass our message across a back home that we are bitter and not happy with the situation that is going home in Nigeria,” Ikeri-Solarin said.

“On a final note sir, we demand that the Federal Government releases Omoyele Sowore and our comrades.”

Kabir Bala, Nigerian high commissioner to South Africa, who received the protesters, assured them that the government was on top of the situation.

He urged them to be law-abiding and not take matters into their hands.

“There is no way the government will achieve its own objectives of making your life, my life and the lives of future generations better if we don’t cooperate and also do it peacefully, cogently and to put forward what it is for us,” Bala said.

“Yes, what you have given me, I have taken and I will also pass it unto them. We will not want the South Africans to go to Nigeria and violate our laws. We will not accept that.”

The DSS has filed an application before a federal high court in Abuja, seeking to detain for 90 days.