The 2023 Presidential Candidate for African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the action of the Nigerian Police towards suppressing freedom of speech in the country.
On a recent arrest of Martins Otse, popularly known on his X handle as “thatverydarkman“, Mr. Sowore took to his X handle yesterday to call the attention of the police to the need to release all those detained over the claimed cybercrime act.
“I learned that the @Policeng, in a very despicable way, got Martin Vincent OTSE,” Sowore began.
The presidential candidate claimed that his arrest was not necessary because the detainee did nothing wrong but was arrested due to the fact that he said things which “senior police officers weren’t comfortable with.”
He however alleged in his disclosure to the members of the public that one social media influencer who goes by the name – Mr. Chizorom Ofoegbu, also known as @IjeleSpeaks2 on X, was also detained in prison at Keffi under “questionable and inappropriate magisterial misconduct in Abuja; apparently, the Nigeria Police colluded with a pastor violating his fundamental rights, therefore jeopardising his liberty.”
He claimed that the police force has joined forces with the most influential people in the country to infringe on the rights of citizens:
“The Nigeria Police Force continues to misuse its powers to suppress free speech by colluding with pastors, GOs, entertainers, politicians, and the highly connected.
“I condemn this high-handed, reckless, inhuman, unjust, and illegal police conduct.“
He then asked the “Nigeria Police authorities to release ‘thatverydarkman’ and ‘IjeleSpeaks2’ with immediate effect.
“The Nigeria Police must continually be reminded that this is how it rode itself into EndSARS, a mass action that nearly consumed the Nigerian Police Force. No one has a right to suppress free speech under the guise of illegality.
“Free all those detained under the criminally engineered “Cybercrime Act” NOW! #RevolutionNow,” the statement read.
Founder of Sahara Reporter, Sowore, further commended Adeyanjudeji for fighting for the detained citizens of Nigeria: “Let me use this opportunity to thank @adeyanjudeji for proactively working assiduously to get justice for these citizens who have been put under duress by the Nigerian Police.”
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The Online Activism of Mr. Martins Otse
Mr. Martins Otse, who exposed a skincare brand endorsed by Nkechi Blessing, claimed that the product lacked a valid NAFDAC registration number and could further cause harm to users of the cream.
Recently, the activist called out the best-dressed female, also known as Bobrisky, for going against the law that governs the country, Nigeria.
In video footage, VeryDarkMan urged the Nigerian police to carry out their duties to arrest Bobrisky for fluently showing a public show of a same-sex amorous relationship, for which he said Bobrisky must serve his jail term.
In his narrative, he said that he is corrupting the minds of the young Nigeria, and this should be taken into consideration. After calling out the transgender, a case of cybercrime was filed against the sensational influencer, and that led to his arrest on March 22, 2024.
As his bail condition was not disclosed, it was claimed that before he would be released from police custody, he had to meet all bail conditions.
What Does the Law Say Against Gays?
The law against gays was signed into law on January 7, 2014, by the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, and states that a person who registers, operates, or participates in gay clubs, societies, or organisations, or directly or indirectly makes public show of a same-sex amorous relationship in Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years.
As of the time of writing this report, the Nigerian police have yet to react to the accusations.
