Police Wouldn’t Attack Us If We Were Bandits – Omoyele Sowore Condemns Assault During Free Nnamdi Kanu Protest

Human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore has openly criticized the Nigeria Police Force for their violent response during a peaceful protest calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

During an interview on Prime Time, a current affairs program aired on Arise Television and monitored by LMSINT MEDIA on Monday, Sowore strongly condemned the police assault on peaceful demonstrators who gathered to demand freedom for Nnamdi Kanu.

According to Sowore, the demonstrators were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest when officers of the Nigeria Police Force used force to disperse them. He emphasized that the police’s reaction showed bias against citizens who peacefully express their grievances.

“The only reason they attacked us was because we were peaceful,” Sowore said. “If we were armed bandits, they would never have come near us.”

The human rights activist argued that the government’s continued hostility toward peaceful activists exposes a worrying double standard in Nigeria’s security system. Sowore noted that while criminals and bandits roam freely, those who peacefully demand justice are treated as enemies of the state.

He further accused the authorities of using security agencies as tools of intimidation to silence dissenting voices. Sowore maintained that Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest, speak freely, and demand accountability from those in power.

The protest, which took place in several parts of the country, called for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in custody since 2021 following his arrest and extradition from Kenya. Many human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly urged the Nigerian government to respect court orders regarding Kanu’s release.

Observers believe that the peaceful demonstration reflects a growing frustration among Nigerians over the continued detention of the IPOB leader and the government’s disregard for rule of law.

Sowore’s remarks have since sparked wide discussions on social media, with many Nigerians condemning the use of force against peaceful protesters while criminal elements are left unchecked.

As of now, the government has yet to issue an official statement addressing the police actions or Sowore’s accusations.