ON SATURDAY, August 3rd, 2019, seven men of the State Security Service (SSS) in an SUV, dressed in usual black on black discreetly stormed a hotel in Lagos in the middle of the night and abducted Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener of the RevolutionNow protests.

Remember Why?

In a video posted by Sahara TV on July 31st, 2019, the human rights activist was shown highlighting his reasons for coming up with the RevolutionNow protest bordering on human rights infringement, poor leadership and insecurity in Nigeria.

“Nigerians are frustrated, they are tired and they have reached a point of no return in terms of rejecting the lacklustre, mediocre, wicked, insensitive leadership in the country and the REVOLUTION has become inevitable,” he said in his characteristic fiery voice.

His proposed protest quickly gained public acceptance including support from Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, a radical musician, Eedirs AbdulKareem among others.

The Nigeria Police Force in an attempt to stop the proposed protest issued a press statement condemning it as an attempt to overthrow a democratically elected president which according to them is treasonable.

“The Force wishes to state unequivocally that the call amounts to treasonable felony and acts of terrorism and will therefore not stand idly by and watch any individual or group in the society causes anarchy in the land,” Frank Mba, the force’s spokesperson said in the statement.

It took the SSS two days before admitting that Sowore was in their custody after an outcry from the masses.

On Monday, August 5th, 2019, RevolutionNow protesters undeterred by the NPF statement staged protests in Lagos State.

Although reports stated that the protest was unable to hold due to police and military clamp down on some cities including Unity Fountain in Abuja and some places in Port Harcourt in Rivers state.

The Lagos RevolutionNow protest witnessed varieties of human right abuses bordering on brutality, illegal arrest among others as security agents were seen beating up and dispersing non-violent protesters infringing on the constitutional right of peaceful gathering.

On August 8, 2019, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja granted the SSS a 45-day holding order against the activist.

Although the SSS had filed for a 90days holding order, the judge held that the order is only for 45 days which was renewable after it elapsed.

On September 8, 2019, the SSS arraigned Sowore in court on charges bordering on money laundering, treasonable felony and cyberstalking Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari.

On Friday, October 4th, 2019, a federal High court granted bail of 100 million naira to Sowore and Olawale Bakare aka Mandate but after fulfilling all bail conditions, the SSS refused to obey the court order. On December 5, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu ordered the Federal government to pay a fine of N100,000 to Sowore and Bakare for failing to comply with the bail order.

She said the trial would not commence if the SSS fail to release Sowore and Bakare within 24 hours, in compliance with Ojukwu’ order, the SSS released Sowore and Bakare on bail.

The Courtroom Show of Shame

Sowore and well-wishers celebrated his release from SSS custody after 124 days but little did they know the SSS had another plan.

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/sowore-bakares-journey-to-freedom/

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