The Commissioner of Police for Special Intervention Squad, CP Abayomi Shogunle, has explained why the Nigerian police is still detaining a Sahara Reporter who is also an activist, Omoyele Sowore, in its custody. According to the police boss, Sowore’s arrest and detention were ordered after the activist allegedly refused to make a statement upon police interrogation when he was invited by the police for an interview.
Shogunle was speaking this afternoon while addressing protesters and the newsmen in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Friday.
Accordingly, supporters of the activist Sowore are taking to the streets from different parts of the country, including Lagos, Abuja, Osun, and Oyo states, demanding the release of the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, who earlier honored an invitation from the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, at the Force Headquarters, in Abuja, on Wednesday, and was subsequently restrained from leaving.
Sowore recently staged a protest against the federal government demanding improved welfare for retired police officers, triggered by a viral video of a retired police officer who exposed how much police officers receive after retirement from their police job.
In a video streamed by Sahara Reporters today, the CP disclosed there were two petitions against the activist.
According to the CP, “The two petitions against Omoyele Sowore were shown to him right in my presence. One bordered on forgery of a police document, which he published online, and we all know the position of the law. It is your duty to provide a source of how you came across the forged document. The second petition has to do with cyberbullying.
“The two petitions were shown to him in the presence of his lawyers. The issue now is that he refused to make a statement in the presence of his lawyers. It is in the record.
“And the procedure under the Nigerian law is very clear. When an allegation is made against you, you are called upon; you have a duty to put down your own position,” the CP said.
Shogunle added, “The same law that gives him the right to remain silent also gives the police the responsibility of certain duties to do when somebody who has been alleged of an offense decides not to talk, which you’re also aware of. And I believe we’re professionals, and I believe the procedure as laid down by the law is being followed.”
This is as the activist, Sowore, was never coerced to make a statement despite his alleged refusal.
“He has the right to remain silent, and the police also have the duties and responsibilities under the law to follow certain procedures once a suspect decides to keep mute. We won’t say, “Because you have decided to keep mute, you can go.”
When asked by a lawyer why Sowore was being detained beyond the constitutional limit of 24 hours, the CP said, “We are professionals; we are following the provisions of the law. Everything needed to be followed under the law in keeping somebody is being followed.”
To clear the protesters' doubt, the CP offered to take a few of them to where Sowore was being held to show that he was not being brutalised.
“The law is being followed regarding his apprehension and detention. He came himself, and the moment he refused to make a statement, his arrest was ordered,” Shogunle concluded.