- Safiu Kehinde
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Nigerian Police Force of alleged plot to detain him following his arrival at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja.
Sowore stated this in a post on his X handle on Monday after honouring the invitation of the FID’s Deputy Inspector General, Dasuki Galandachi.
NPO reported that the Sowore was, on Friday, invited by the DIG over alleged intimidation of officers as seen in a video shared on X by the 2023 African Action Congress (AAC).
Recounting his ordeal at the FID office, Sowore disclosed refusing to write statement as he claimed that the interrogators failed to define his alleged crime.
He raised alarm over alleged by the Police to detain him and place him on trial- a decision he claimed was borne out of his criticism of unlawful extension of the Inspector General of Police’s, Kayode Egbetokun, tenure after reacing his retirement age in 2024.
“I have recently completed an engagement with a team from the Nigeria Police Force at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja, which they referred to as an “interview”.
“That was after a press conference based on bluster by the DIG of FID, Dasuki Galandachi The police relied on a rehashed set of information sourced mostly from the internet.
“When I asked them to identify the location of the alleged “crime” in Lagos, they provided a vague response, stating it was along the airport road.
“I chose not to provide a written statement, as we informed the Police team that, in the absence of a defined crime, the process to determine such was unnecessary.
“They took a break and later informed me that they were awaiting instructions from their superiors. It seems their plan is to detain me and take me to Lagos for a kangaroo trial.
“However, I am prepared to face any consequences. I made it clear to the team that the matter revolves around my publicly stated view that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who should leave after retirement in 2024 and clearly tired, had his tenure extended illegally. I maintain that we are entering a promising year, and our fight for justice will persist.” He wrote.
Moment later, Sowore in a separate post, disclosed that he was granted bail by the DIG which he refused over conditions he claimed to compromise my innocence, dignity, and integrity.
Rejecting the bail, the activist said he will rather remain in detention till the hearing of his case than accepting the bail.
“The DIG of FID, Dasuki Galandachi at the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja had just informed me that he has instructed his personnel to grant me bail, pending the conclusion of the “investigation”. I have also advised the DIG that in accepting “bail”, I will not agree to conditions that compromise my innocence, dignity, and integrity. If such unreasonable conditions are imposed, I will choose to remain in detention until I am charged to court, even then I know that there is no crime defined or to be investigated it is just the impunity that has become the hallmark of the @PoliceN hierarchy.
“I have rejected a bail condition asking me to present a level 17 Permanent Secretary, instead I have offered to remain in police custody pending when the joke is over with.” He stated.