Sowore remains resolute, stating that despite the government’s efforts to suppress dissent, the upcoming protests will proceed as planned.
Lagos, Nigeria – Following his brief detention at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Sunday, human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has threatened to organize more protests in the near future.
Sowore, who returned from the United States, was held by the Nigerian Immigration Service upon arrival.
Sowore disclosed the incident on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.”
He suggested that the detention was part of a broader clampdown on dissent under the current administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, which he referred to as a “fascist regime.” Sowore had earlier announced plans for a nationwide protest, dubbed “#FearlessInOctober,” which is set to commence on October 1, 2024.
The activist was released shortly after his detention, to the cheers of supporters who had gathered at the airport in protest of his arrest.
In a later interview on Arise TV, Sowore confirmed that the protest, part of a series of actions demanding better governance, is still on schedule.
He noted that it would build on the momentum from the August 1 “End Bad Governance” protests, which included 15 demands that, according to Sowore, the government has ignored.
“The Federal Government arrested and detained a lot of people, charging them with outrageous offences like treason for carrying placards,” he said. “This is going to be a continuation of that.”
Sowore emphasized that the October protest is a response to ongoing issues in the country, including hunger, poverty, and incompetence on the part of the government. He assured that Nigerians would not back down in the face of these challenges, stressing that he had no fear of further arrests.
“It is treason to arrest, detain, and forcibly charge citizens with crimes that the government committed,” Sowore added. Reflecting on his history of activism, he recalled being first accused of treason in 1992 while a student at the University of Lagos and again in 2019 under the Buhari administration.
The AAC also condemned Sowore’s detention, with the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Adeyeye Olorunfemi, issuing a statement denouncing the “unwarranted arrest and harassment.” He described the incident as an example of the current regime’s “growing intolerance for dissenting voices.”
Adeyeye called on the government to focus on addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges instead of targeting opposition figures. The AAC vowed to resist further attempts at intimidation and called for the immediate release of protesters who were detained during the August demonstrations.
The activist remains resolute, stating that despite the government’s efforts to suppress dissent, the upcoming protests will proceed as planned.
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