The Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) has condemned the arrest and remand of activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, describing the development as a threat to democratic freedoms and civil liberties in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Salako Kayode, the group criticised the actions of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the decision of Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to revoke Sowore’s bail and remand him in Kuje Correctional Centre.
The condemnation followed a tense scene at the Federal High Court in Abuja after DSS operatives reportedly moved to arrest Sowore within the court premises shortly after the judge ordered his detention pending further proceedings on Wednesday. Supporters of the AAC and the Take It Back Movement were said to have resisted the move, resulting in a brief standoff inside the courtroom.
The court had earlier dismissed an application by Sowore seeking the recusal of the presiding judge in his ongoing trial over remarks in which he allegedly described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “criminal.”
According to the RSM, the revocation of Sowore’s bail was unwarranted, noting that he had initially been granted bail on self-recognition when the case commenced. The organisation argued that the continued prosecution and detention of the activist extends beyond an individual case and constitutes a broader challenge to citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression, association and political dissent.
The group further accused the government of increasingly relying on arrests, prosecutions and judicial processes to suppress dissenting voices rather than addressing pressing national challenges such as economic hardship, unemployment, poverty and insecurity.
“Democracy cannot flourish where citizens are punished for expressing dissenting views. The right to criticise government policies and demand accountability is fundamental to any society that claims to be democratic,” the statement said.
The RSM called for the immediate reversal of what it described as undemocratic actions against Sowore, an end to the alleged persecution of activists and opposition figures, and greater respect for constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The organisation also urged workers, youths, students, trade unions, civil society organisations and pro-democracy groups to oppose what it termed the growing criminalisation of dissent and democratic activism in the country.
It warned that efforts to silence critical voices could further heighten concerns over the state of democracy and human rights in Nigeria, insisting that the aspirations of citizens for freedom, dignity and social justice cannot be suppressed through repression.
