Human rights lawyer Maduabuchi Idam has urged the Nigeria Police Force to uphold the fundamental rights of activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, following his recent arrest and detention.
Idam argued that the charges against Sowore, including forgery, defamation, and cyberbullying, are all bailable offences that should not warrant pre-trial detention or public humiliation.
In a strongly worded statement, Idam criticised the police handling of the case, particularly given Sowore’s voluntary compliance with the police invitation. “The act of detaining and humiliating him despite voluntarily submitting himself to the police constitutes an abuse of power,” Idam stated.
He emphasised that the Inspector General of Police, as Nigeria’s chief law enforcement officer, should not act as “judge in his own case” regardless of personal grievances.
The legal practitioner questioned why Sowore wasn’t immediately charged if the police had substantial evidence, rather than being subjected to prolonged detention. He stressed that Sowore’s constitutional rights to presumption of innocence and human dignity must supersede unproven allegations.
Idam further condemned what he described as a police culture of detaining suspects for extended periods based on questionable court orders.
“The Nigerian Police should quit the practice of humiliating and detaining suspects to their satisfaction before trial,” he asserted, calling for Sowore’s immediate release or proper arraignment in accordance with due process. The statement highlights growing concerns about police conduct in politically sensitive cases in Nigeria.
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