Okei-Odumakin slams Police for seizing Sowore after Court grants bail

Human rights advocate Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin has condemned the reported actions of the Nigeria Police Force at a Magistrate Court in Abuja, following the granting of bail to activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore.

In a press release issued Saturday, Okei-Odumakin described the police intervention as “unlawful” and “undemocratic,” asserting that it violated established constitutional procedures.

She noted that the Nigeria Correctional Service, not the police, is responsible for taking custody of defendants who fail to meet bail conditions.

According to Okei-Odumakin, the incident represents a blatant overreach by law enforcement and undermines Nigeria’s democratic values.

“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee the rights of everyone to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” she said.

The activist stressed that democratic governance in Nigeria has been hard-won through the sacrifices of patriots and citizens, and that the rule of law must be respected.

She urged the federal government to abide by court rulings and immediately release Sowore and other arrested protesters.

“There is no democracy without the right of dissenting voices. Protest is never a crime,” Okei-Odumakin asserted, highlighting a troubling rise in human rights violations that she said contradicts the principles of democratic governance.

She called for adherence to legal and constitutional procedures, warning that unlawful actions by security agencies erode public trust and the very foundations of democracy in Nigeria.