NLC, PETER OBI DEMAND IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF SOWORE

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, who is currently in detention.

The demand was issued by the NLC National President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, in a strongly-worded statement released late Wednesday. The union expressed deep concern over what it described as “unending and arbitrary arrests” of the activist, who has been a vocal critic of the government. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

Sowore was detained by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Abuja on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, after honoring a police invitation over a petition alleging forgery and incitement. However, as of the time of filing this report, the identity of the petitioner and the content of the petition have not been disclosed publicly.

In its statement, the NLC strongly condemned what it described as an emerging pattern of suppression of civil liberties, especially targeting individuals critical of those in power.

“If Sowore has offended any powerful person in or outside government, the right thing to do is to seek redress through legal means — not through harassment or unlawful detention,” Ajaero stated.

He questioned the frequency of Sowore’s arrests in recent times, asking, “How many times has Sowore been arrested this year alone?”

The labour union emphasized that freedom of speech and association are fundamental rights protected under the Nigerian constitution and should never be violated for political convenience.

“It is dangerous when the state begins to criminalize dissent or detain individuals arbitrarily. Today it is Sowore; tomorrow, it could be a journalist, a trade unionist, or an ordinary citizen,” the statement warned.

The NLC noted that the current actions of the government could undermine democracy, stating that a democratic government must respect the rule of law and constitutional liberties, no matter how uncomfortable those freedoms may be.

“We must not return to the dark days of dictatorship, where citizens lived in fear, and every voice of dissent was crushed with brute force,” the NLC asserted.

According to the union, detaining Sowore without due process “tarnishes the country’s image” both locally and internationally, and sets a dangerous precedent for future civic engagement.
Demands and Solidarity

The NLC reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of workers, civil society, and oppressed Nigerians, urging all well-meaning citizens to resist the gradual slide into authoritarianism.

Also, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has condemned the detention of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore.

In a statement on Thursday, Tope Temokun, Sowore’s lawyer, alleged that the activist was moved from police custody to an undisclosed location in the early hours of Thursday under circumstances that resulted in physical injury

Reacting to the development in a post shared on his X account, Obi wondered why the activist was detained when he was not considered a flight risk.

He asserted that Sowore’s arrest should be condemned, considering he presented himself in good faith to the police.

Obi subsequently urged the Nigerian police to release Sowore or charge him formally under the law.

He said, “I was deeply disturbed to learn of the arrest of Mr. Omoyele Sowore @YeleSowore yesterday, shortly after he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Nigerian Police Force. At the time of writing, no clear or credible charges have been made public, which further casts a troubling shadow over the nature and motivation behind his detention.

“His arrest, particularly under circumstances where he presented himself in good faith to law enforcement, should be condemned by all who value justice and due process. From all indications, no urgency or criminal flight risk warranted such high-handed treatment.

“To detain a citizen who came of his own accord, without the public disclosure of clear, lawful charges, is not only a miscarriage of justice but an abuse of state power.

“As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato rightly said, “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.” When those entrusted with power act unjustly, they poison not only the legal order but the moral conscience of the nation.

“I therefore call on the Nigerian Police to immediately release Omoyele Sowore or charge him formally charge him to court.