KEY POINTS
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Atiku condemned the Lagos Oworonshoki compensation arrest as an assault on democracy.
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Northern groups described Sowore’s arrest as a threat to civic freedoms.
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Police defended the arrest as a step toward fair prosecution.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Arewa Take-It-Back Movement have condemned the arrest of activist and politician Omoyele Sowore. Police detained Sowore and several protesters earlier this week during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in Abuja.
The protest took place at the Federal High Court and drew a strong police response that sparked public outrage nationwide. Political leaders and civil society groups condemned the arrests, calling them a troubling sign of growing intolerance in Nigeria
Atiku denounces government intolerance
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticised the Federal Government for arresting Sowore, calling it another clear act of intolerance toward dissent. In a statement on Thursday, Atiku said he was “shocked and disappointed” that peaceful protests continue to be criminalised decades after Nigeria’s return to democracy.
“I have just been informed of the arrest of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, along with several other citizens protesting peacefully across the country,” Atiku said. “It is shocking that in 2025, after defeating military rule, this government still treats dissent as a crime. Those in power today once thrived on protests, yet President Bola Tinubu keeps showing Nigerians who he is and what he intends to be if unchecked.”
Atiku called Sowore’s arrest inside a courtroom “a new low” and “an open assault on democracy.” He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained, saying, “Democracy cannot coexist with tyranny.”
Northern groups condemn Sowore’s arrest
Echoing Atiku’s concerns, the Arewa Take-It-Back Movement described Sowore’s arrest over #FreeKanu protest as a “brazen attack on democracy and the rule of law.” According to Punch, in a statement signed by its Lead Coordinator, Nazif Bashi, the group accused the Nigeria Police Force of acting as an instrument of political suppression.
“Sowore’s peaceful presence at the court was an exercise of his constitutional rights,” Bashi said. “This marks another dark reminder of how far this government will go to silence dissenting voices.”
The group said the arrest was not just an attack on one individual but on every Nigerian who refuses to bow to intimidation. It urged citizens and the international community to “resist the deliberate erosion of freedoms.”
Police defend arrest as fair action
In response, Police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin defended the arrest, saying it was to ensure fairness in the prosecution of those involved in Monday’s protest. He said Sowore allegedly led protesters into a restricted area and that detaining him was necessary for due process.
“If we charge others to court and leave the person who led them, that would not be fair,” Hundeyin said. “He won’t spend up to 24 hours with us. Once charges are ready, he will face the court.”
Sowore’s arrest has reignited debate about civic rights under Tinubu’s administration and Nigeria’s growing intolerance for dissenting voices.
