Nigerian activist and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, has been released minutes after his arrest.
Sowore was earlier arrested on Sunday morning at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.
He wrote, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.
“This is not unexpected because I have always known that it is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt.
“In case this becomes another prolonged and protracted detention, I urge our citizens to ensure they ALL stop tyranny by all means acceptable and necessary, by engaging in the planned series of direct actions slated for 1 October and beyond.”
It was learnt that His flight left Washington Dulles International Airport at 6.14 EDT and arrived in Lagos at around 9.43am.
The Department of State Service (DSS) had earlier on Thursday, 12 September 2024, sent a memo directing the arrest of Sowore upon his arrival in Nigeria.
However, minutes after his arrest, Sowore again posted via his official X handle, revealing that he had been released by the Nigerian Immigration Service and his passport had been released to him after it was earlier confiscated.
He wrote, “I have just been released by the Nigerian Immigration after a brief detention and my passport released back to me.”
It was gathered that members of the Take It Back Movement and other activists had besieged the airport to await the activist’s return to the country.
Sowore had been with his family in the United States.
Following the report, Sowore lambasted the DSS for issuing a directive for his arrest on his arrival in Nigeria, disclosing that his intention was to return to the country ‘very soon’.
In a post on his X account on Thursday, Sowore said, “The current administration, led by Tinubu, has demonstrated an upgraded inability to effectively track and apprehend terrorism suspects, bandits, and kidnappers, while the @officialEFCC has yet to arrest former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Sowore was one of the champions of the recent #Nationwidehardshipprotest held in August which was organised by the Nigerian youths against bad governance and economic hardship in the country.
