Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, and other activists spent the wee hours of the New Year in police custody for organizing a protest in Abuja.
Sowore had before his detention, sent out a series of tweets calling on Nigerians to join him on a protest against the regime of the President Muhammadu Buhari
He had tweeted, “How about a crossover protest/uprising tonight? Anyone willing to participate? Pick up a candle and a placard showing your grievances against the regime; let’s upload our short videos and photos across our social media platforms. Let’s welcome the regime to a resolute 2021!
“#CrossoverWithProtest against tyrant @mbuhari’s regime, candlelight for #LekkiMassacre; a placard for #EndBadGovernment; procession to usher in #Revolutionary 2021, a fist for victims of repression-frozen bank accounts, malicious prosecution and detention of #Endsars activists.
“#Crossoverwithprotest starts at 11.30 till 12.30 am across Nigeria, a candle, a placard and fireworks to usher in a RESOLUTE 2021 in Nigeria! Join with your friends and neighbours #EndSARS. #ObigboMassacre #LekkiMassacre #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria #BuhariTrainwreck #RevolutionNow.”
TheNewsGuru gathered that armed policemen around midnight accosted the protesters at Gudu Junction injuring some of them in the process.
They were then taken to a police unit infamously known as ‘Abattoir’ in the Lokogoma area of the FCT.
TheNewsGuru recalls that Sowore, who was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International in 2019, was imprisoned for several months by the Buhari led administration for allegedly calling for a revolution.
Sowore’s legal representative, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who confirmed the arrest, said he had not been able to find his client because the police had failed to reveal where he is.