“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,” Peter Obi said.
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the arrest of activist Omoyele Sowore by the Nigerian Police Force, calling it a “miscarriage of justice” and an “abuse of state power.”
In a statement on Friday, Obi said he was “deeply disturbed” to learn Sowore was detained shortly after voluntarily honouring a police invitation. He noted that no “clear or credible charges” had been made public, raising questions over the motivation for the arrest.
“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,” Obi said, quoting Plato: “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.”
Obi urged police to either release Sowore or charge him formally, warning that anything less would “erode public trust” in law enforcement.