- Sahara Reporters publisher allegedly brutalised by officers at FID headquarters
- Amnesty International confirms police broke his hand and moved him secretly
- Lawyers accuse IGP’s Monitoring Unit of abuse of power and due process violations
The Nigeria Police Force has been accused of violently assaulting Mr Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, during a forceful transfer from detention to court at about 6:00 a.m. on Thursday.
The incident reportedly occurred at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja, where Mr Sowore had been detained following his appearance over allegations of forgery and criminal defamation.
Amnesty International confirmed in a statement that Mr Sowore was dragged violently from his cell and sustained a broken hand during the encounter. The group said he had since been taken to an unknown location.
According to Amnesty International, “Amnesty International just received deeply disturbing reports of a violent attempt by the police to forcibly drag activist Omoyele Sowore from his cell to court at 6:00 a.m. As a result, he sustained a severe injury on his left hand and has since been taken to an unknown location.”
The organisation demanded urgent medical attention for the activist, warning the Nigerian authorities against further rights violations.
It stated, “He must be immediately given adequate medical care. Attempting to drag Sowore to a judicial process without recourse to his lawyer is a flagrant disregard for the rule of law.”
The group added, “Nigerian authorities must release Sowore unconditionally and drop all bogus and politically motivated charges against him. The authorities should listen to critics instead of seeking to gag them through outright abuse of power.”
A post from Mr Sowore’s official Facebook page, published by an associate, corroborated the account and stated that the team involved was led by a Chief Superintendent of Police from the IGP Monitoring Unit.
The post stated, “At about 6 a.m., a police team, headed by a CSP from the IGP Monitoring Unit, forcibly entered Omoyele Sowore’s detention cell at the FID in Abuja, broke his right hand, and transported him to an undisclosed location.”
READ ALSO: Police Detain Sowore Over Alleged Forgery, Incitement
The statement also claimed Mr Sowore had honoured a police invitation before he was detained and interrogated by Deputy Commissioner of Police Akin Fakorede, a former SARS officer. It said two petitions were filed against him, including one by a woman named Bukola Yemisi.
Legal practitioners who responded to the incident criticised the police, describing the process as unconstitutional and a misuse of state power. One lawyer, Mr Abbas Ochogwu, noted that the police cannot act as both complainant and investigator in the same matter.
Another lawyer, Mr Marshall Abubakar, said the Police Act and case law forbid officers from using their office to settle personal scores. He added that the actions of the IGP’s team amounted to abuse of due process.
Mr Hamza Dantani, also a lawyer, described the Inspector General of Police as the “worst” in the country’s history.
The Nigerian Police Force has not issued any official response regarding the incident as of the time of this report.
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