Femi Falana, renowned human rights lawyer, has strongly condemned the unlawful detention and reported assault of Omoyele Sowore, the prominent human rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, by the Nigeria Police Force.
In a statement released on Friday, Falana emphasized that Sowore’s treatment while in police custody constitutes a grave violation of his constitutional rights and called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations of police brutality.
Falana acknowledged that while Sowore is not above the law, the Nigeria Police Force has the authority to arrest and bring him before a competent court if there is reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct.
However, he stressed that this authority must be exercised within the bounds of the law, particularly respecting the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“Like every individual detained by the police, Mr. Sowore is entitled to the dignity of his person as guaranteed under Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). This guarantees humane and respectful treatment while in custody,” Falana stated firmly.
Highlighting the severity of the alleged mistreatment, Falana called for accountability, urging that the police officers responsible for torturing Sowore be held liable under the provisions of the Anti-Torture Act of 2017.
He declared, “It is imperative that the officers implicated in violating Section 2 of the Anti-Torture Act face investigation and appropriate sanctions.” Furthermore, Falana insisted that Sowore should be released from police custody without delay to receive urgent medical attention.
In a related development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the police for what he described as bad faith actions and a blatant disregard for their own operational guidelines. Atiku condemned the conduct of the police’s IGP Monitoring Team toward Sowore, labeling it a “shameful abuse of power” that is not only unlawful but must be condemned by all defenders of justice.
Peter Obi, former governor and presidential candidate, also voiced strong opposition to the continued detention of Sowore.
Obi argued that detaining a citizen who voluntarily complies with police summons—without publicly disclosing lawful charges—amounts to a miscarriage of justice. He emphasized that such actions represent a serious abuse of state power and undermine the principles of fairness and transparency.
Obi further warned that these incidents are not isolated missteps but part of a disturbing trend that erodes public confidence in Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies. According to him, such patterns significantly weaken the democratic foundations of the nation by diminishing citizens’ trust in the institutions meant to protect their rights and freedoms.
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