Security: How Buhari Made Sowore A Hero ?

By Elizabeth Chukwuma

Until his arrest last Saturday by the Department of State Security, DSS, under the close watch of  Yusuf Bichi Magaji,  in Collaboration with Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of police, IGP,  Omoyele Sowore, an activist and a former Presidential Candidate of the  African Action Congress, AAC,  in the last general election, was not a household name in Nigeria.

The arrest of the Human Rights Activist and Politician, by the DSS with the support of the police has popularized him among Nigerians as fighting for their cause.  Given reasons for his arrest and subsequent detention , the DSS,  claimed that he was to lead  a group ‘’Revolution Now,  which slated Monday,  August 5, 2019, to organize a mass protest  which is a threat to the peace and unity of the country.

The  Agency noted that the plot by some self- seeking Nigerians  who are sponsoring the group was to cause disaffection , disrupt  social and economic  activities  to hasten the violent overthrow of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.  

Peter Ifunanya, the agency Spokesperson disclosed that no responsible security outfit saddled with the responsibility of managing , curtailing and eliminating threats against national security would sit-by and watch the government  being violently overthrown. He noted that Sowore and his group’s threat to the security of the nation include sabotage, subversion, , terrorist activities and to further hasten separatist agitation in the country.

Yusuf Bichi Magaji: Director General DSS

In  his own account to justify the arrest and detention of the Politician turned activist,   Frank Mba, a Lawyer and Force Spokesperson  disclosed that  he was arrested  based on a video clip which has gone viral  showing how how the group had called on called on Nigerians to join  the planned revolution  march  against the Buhari government   today, Monday, August 5, 2019.

Given an insider  security report on the planned  mass protest, Mba,  said the organisers of the planned  mass protest have the  sponsors both within and outside the country. Note that Sowore is the publisher of  the United States based  Sahara Reporters , an on-line publication.  The Force  Image maker had Collaborated the claim of his Counterpart in the DSS, when he  opined that the  Revolution  Now call  amounts  to treasonable felony  and terrorism.

The group , going by the reports making the rounds may have planned the mass protest, based  on what they described as the ‘’bad governance ‘’, which the DSS and the Police would not take from them.

Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Laureate , who had thrown his weight  on Buhari, the APC, Candidate, in the last general  election,  may have disagreed with  with those controlling  the  Katsina state born  Nigerian President security architecture  over the  arrest of the activist.

An angry Soyinka  said there is nothing that Sowore has uttered , written or advocated or embarked on  or urging the public to engage  in   forceful overthrow of the  government. Appealing to the DSS and the Police Authorities, to’’ stick to   their task  of  protecting  and managing protests, and not  attempt to lace  their own meaning  and declaration of intent  on words like revolution’’.

 He had made  mockery of the DSS and the police deployment  of the alarmist expressions such as  treason, anarchist, public incitement , terrorism  and treasonable felony , in order to rope the politician in, which has’’ so become predictable and banal that they have become meaningless’’ .   He may have alluded to the fact that the DSS , which are is keeping  the Politician in their Custody with the support of the Force Headquarters have  somewhat  made a hero  out of Sowore  among Nigerians.

Femi Falana, a senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN,  described in different  quarters across the country  as one the President’s one of arch legal  supporters  may have lost faith in him over  the arrest of Sowore  over alleged planned mass protest march by the DSS and the  Police

Falana, who could not hide his feelings opined that that protest  marches  are never treasonable treasonable offences  as alleged by the DSS And police Authorities. The legal luminary noted that  ‘’It is high time  the Federal government   restrained  the security agencies  from further  exposing  Nigerian to  ridicule  in the comity of nation’’.

Yinka Oduman, Spokesperson  of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural Organisation,  said there was no basis for the activist arrest by the security agencies,  insisting that  ‘’protest is legitimate  no matter its catchphrase: ‘’Revolution or mass protest’’.

Many believe that the only way  the President could  exonerate himself from blame over the arrest of the  activist and Human Rights Campaigner , who is currently in DSS Custody  is to order for his reasonable  and drop all charges against him.

The Value News findings  shows that  wherever two or three Nigerians are gathered  in Lagos and other major Cities in the country , the arrest and detention of Sowore , dominate their talks. It i not surprising  why there have been pressure on the government by some  weal meaning individuals  and other Nigerians using the  social media  to release the Activist.  The DSS officials may not be in a hurry to release  because of the fear that the  activist  supporters  might want to take the law into still go ahead with the protest march. The International Community , according to Diplomatic sources to see  how the government would handle the Sowore matter before taking a stand.

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