Obi to police: Release Sowore or charge him to court

By John Alechenu, Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has urged the Nigeria Police to immediately release Omoleye Sowore or charge him to court.

Obi, in a post on his X handle on Friday, expressed displeasure over the decision of the police to detain a citizen who voluntarily presented himself when he was invited for questioning.

According to him, the conduct of the police has the potential to erode public confidence in the institutions.

The former Anambra State Governor 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 also the moral conscience of the nation.

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

“Anything short of this would be a further erosion of public trust in the nation’s law enforcement institutions.

“It is our collective duty to insist that the rule of law must apply to all citizens – regardless of ideology, background, or political alignment.” – PO

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