The Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), a human rights advocacy group, has extended an offer to assist a young Nigerian who has been held in a Lagos prison for two years while awaiting trial.
The announcement followed a visit by Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, to a Lagos Magistrate Court on Monday. During his visit, Sowore interacted with several detainees, including those trapped in prolonged legal limbo.
Sowore, who was also the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 General Elections, criticized Nigeria’s criminal justice system. He highlighted how it disproportionately targets the poor, leaving them languishing in prison while influential criminals enjoy impunity and continue to oppress the less privileged.
Sharing his experience, Sowore said, “I met some detainees awaiting trial at a Lagos Magistrate Court today. One of them was so eager to connect that he almost fell over in excitement.
“Many of these individuals are victims of a flawed criminal justice system that preys on the poor while enabling real criminals to thrive. Among them were detainees who have been stuck in prison for two years, waiting for the Lagos Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to issue advice on their cases.”
Referring to one of the detainees, Sowore added, “If anyone knows this young man, the Take-It-Back Movement’s human rights committee is ready to assist him.”
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Source: Chronicles Reporters