(DDM) – The Organisation of Igbo Communities (OIC) has strongly condemned the re-arrest of human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, describing the action as an assault on democracy and human rights in Nigeria.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the group, through its National President, Hon. Major Ukason Chukwuemeka, called for Sowore’s immediate and unconditional release, warning that continued persecution of activists undermines freedom of expression and the rule of law.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, OIC said Sowore’s latest arrest by the Nigerian Police was a clear attempt to silence dissenting voices critical of government actions.
According to Hon. Chukwuemeka, the Organisation of Igbo Communities views Sowore’s detention as “a brutal reminder of Nigeria’s shrinking civic space under a system intolerant of accountability.”
He stated that no democracy can thrive where journalists, activists, and opposition voices are treated like criminals for exercising their constitutional rights.
The OIC president further accused security agencies of acting as political tools, emphasizing that Sowore’s arrest and alleged mistreatment in detention violated both domestic and international human rights conventions.
Hon. Chukwuemeka urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to demonstrate leadership by ensuring that the law protects, rather than intimidates, citizens.
He also reminded the government that Sowore’s activism had contributed to national awareness on corruption, bad governance, and police brutality, which should not be repaid with harassment or imprisonment.
“The Nigerian state must stop using its security apparatus to intimidate voices of conscience,” he said.
“The arrest of Sowore is an affront to justice and a mockery of democracy. We demand his immediate release and an end to the continuous violation of activists’ rights,” he added.
The Organisation of Igbo Communities also called on international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and the African Union to pressure the Nigerian government to respect civic freedoms and free all political detainees.
OIC further vowed to mobilize regional support from other ethnic and civil groups to ensure Sowore’s release and protection from further intimidation.
Human rights observers note that Sowore has faced multiple arrests since 2019, often linked to his calls for government accountability and protests against corruption.