The Solidarity Network for Workers’ Rights (SNWR) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and 13 other protesters arrested during the recent #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in Abuja.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Daniel Akande, the group condemned the arrests as “unlawful, repressive, and a blatant attempt by the ruling elite to silence dissenting voices.”
According to SNWR, Sowore’s arrest at the Federal High Court premises in Abuja was a “disgraceful act” that underscored the government’s growing intolerance for opposition and civic activism.
“This arrest represents a shameful attempt by the ruling class and the arrogant heads of the Nigeria Police Force to silence dissent and crush the rising voices of resistance against bad governance, economic hardship, and state repression,” the group said.
The organisation stated that there was no legal or moral justification for Sowore’s detention, describing it as part of a broader pattern of clampdowns on civic space under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
SNWR also condemned the arrest and arraignment of 13 peaceful protesters, including a lawyer and Emmanuel Kanu, brother to detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, on October 20, 2025 in Abuja.
The group said the protesters were merely exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly while calling for justice for Kanu, who has been in detention for nearly seven years.
“Beyond imposing harsh neo-liberal economic measures that have plunged more than 139 million Nigerians into poverty while enriching a privileged few, the administration has now intensified its assault on fundamental freedoms,” the group stated.
“The detained protesters have since been remanded at Kuje Prison, and we demand their immediate release as well.”
The workers’ rights organisation insisted that Sowore’s only “offence” was his courage to “speak truth to power” and his consistent advocacy for the poor and working-class Nigerians.
“The use of state force to intimidate and detain critics is not only a violation of fundamental human rights but also a reflection of the growing desperation of a government that fears accountability,” the statement added.
SNWR warned that continued attacks on activists, journalists, and peaceful protesters constitute a direct assault on constitutional freedoms, including the right to free expression and association.
Reaffirming its solidarity with Sowore and other detainees, the group called on workers, students, trade unions, civil society groups, and all “oppressed Nigerians” to unite and resist what it termed “the government’s authoritarian assault on democratic rights.”
“We affirm that no amount of intimidation can silence the collective struggle for justice, equity, and freedom,” SNWR declared.