The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the latest arrest of renowned activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, describing it as “unacceptable and repressive.”

 

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, issued the condemnation in a statement on Thursday, following reports that Sowore was detained on Wednesday after honouring a police invitation at the Force Headquarters.

 

Ajaero expressed deep concern over what he described as the frequent and unjustified arrests of Sowore, warning that such acts signal a dangerous slide back into dictatorship.

 

“We strongly condemn the frequent arrest and long spells in detention of Sowore, a renowned civil rights activist. It is all the more unacceptable if he was injured in the course of his arrest, as is being alleged,” Ajaero said.

 

He questioned the rationale behind the constant harassment of Sowore, suggesting that if he had violated any law or offended any powerful figure, proper legal procedures should be followed instead of resorting to intimidation.

 

The NLC leader reminded the authorities that freedom of speech and association are constitutionally guaranteed rights that must be respected at all times.

 

“Silence in the face of such repression is complicity. If the state can arbitrarily detain Sowore today, no journalist, no trade unionist, no activist, and no ordinary citizen is safe tomorrow,” he warned.

 

He stressed that Nigeria must not return to an era where “fear replaces freedom and dissent is met with brute force.”

 

Ajaero emphasized that, regardless of public opinion, Sowore has become a moral compass in Nigeria’s democratic landscape and should be treated with dignity, not persecution.

 

“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore; an end to the harassment and intimidation of activists and all voices of dissent; and full adherence to the rule of law and constitutional guarantees of free speech and assembly.”

 

 

Earlier on Thursday, Sowore alleged that a police officer broke his hand during the arrest and that he had been moved to an undisclosed location, raising further concerns about his safety and the transparency of the ongoing investigation.

 

Concluding the statement, Ajaero reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to protecting democratic rights and standing in solidarity with all victims of state repression.

 

“Nigeria should not descend into a police state. Strengthened justice and democracy is good for all,” he added.