The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the arrest of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The group called for his immediate and unconditional release while accusing the Nigerian government of undermining the rule of law.
IPOB, in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described Sowore’s arrest inside the Federal High Court in Abuja as a “barbaric abduction” and alleged that it occurred despite a judge’s order remanding him to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the largest mass movement on earth and the unyielding voice of the oppressed, strongly condemns the barbaric abduction of Comrade Omoyele Sowore by the notorious Department of State Services (DSS) inside a Federal High Court in Abuja,” the statement read.
According to IPOB, the incident “shows once again that the rule of law has completely collapsed in the contraption called Nigeria.”
The group praised Sowore’s activism, describing him as “a fearless champion of the masses, a truth-teller, and a relentless fighter for justice.”
“His only ‘crime’ is daring to speak truth to power and expose the failure and criminality of the current regime,” IPOB stated.
The organisation accused the DSS of repeatedly disregarding court orders and using state institutions to persecute government critics.
“For this, the Nigerian state has turned its Gestapo-style DSS into a tool to hunt, harass, arrest, and re-arrest him again and again – in courtrooms, on the streets, and in broad daylight. Bail granted? They violate it. Court orders? They ignore or twist them. This is not justice. This is pure executive tyranny and judicial capture,” the statement added.
Demanding Sowore’s immediate freedom, IPOB said, “We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore. The Nigerian state must stop this vindictive persecution.”
The group further alleged that the government had prioritised the prosecution of critics while failing to hold criminals accountable.
“Locking up critics while looters and real criminals walk free has become the trademark of this oppressive regime. Courts have turned into rubber stamps for the executive instead of temples of justice.
“The freedom of speech that the constitution claims to guarantee has become a dangerous illusion for anyone who challenges those in power,” IPOB said.
The group also expressed solidarity with Sowore, noting that he had previously supported the Biafran cause.
“IPOB stands shoulder to shoulder with all genuine fighters for justice, including Sowore, who has shown solidarity with the Biafran cause. Targeting such voices is an attack on the conscience of the people,” the statement read.
The group appealed to human rights organisations, the international community and Nigerians to pressure the authorities to release the activist.
“We call on all freedom-loving people worldwide, human rights organisations, the international community, and the suffering masses of Nigeria to rise up and put pressure on this oppressive system.
“Leave Sowore alone! Free Sowore now!” the statement added.
IPOB warned that “you cannot silence the voice of the people with brute force and illegal detention. History is watching. The day of reckoning is coming.”
