Rearrest of Sowore is an assault on the judiciary, says group

The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), an alliance of media and civil society organisations, says the rearrest of Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist, is an assault on the judiciary.

In a statement, the group kicked against the rearrest of Sowore at the federal high court in Abuja — less than 24 hours after he was released following a detention that lasted 124 days.

The group said the fact that the DSS had flouted several court orders before releasing Sowore and Olawale Bakare, his co-accused, on December 5, was indicative of the agency’s growing disrespect for the judiciary.

“This act is an unacceptable violation of the principles of the rule of law in a constitutional democracy,” it said.

The  coalition called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take punitive actions against the action of the DSS in order to reassure Nigerians that they were not acting under his instructions and that his government is not in support of their actions.

CWPPF also called on the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to take urgent steps to launch investigations into the human rights situation currently faced by Nigeria as the country is facing a rapid descent into totalitarianism and tyranny.

According to the group “any delay by the international community in taking firm action to address the Nigerian situation could result in a violent conflict in Africa’s most populous nation, which would constitute a grave threat to international peace and security, particularly in the region.”