Ayo Ola
A leading anti-corruption group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, on Friday, condemned the attack on the Publisher of Saharareporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore.
Armed thugs had on Thursday attacked Sowore, as he made his way out of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
He had visited the court on Thursday morning to attend the emergency hearing in a case involving the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who is being held by the Nigerian Government on charges of terrorism.
Chairman of HEDA, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, in a statement also called on the Police and the State Security Service to investigate the attack on Sowore and prosecute the offenders,
He said the deadly violence meted out against Sowore, right at the front of the Federal High Court, Abuja, despite the presence of security agencies is highly condemnable.
He added that it remains yet another indication of a failing security system and or an alleged coordinated attempt by unscrupulous individuals to silence all activists in Nigeria.
He, therefore, called on the Nigeria Police, including the Department of State Security (DSS) to investigate this and indeed all forms of attacks against activists and prosecute the culprits.
He also called on the Police and the DSS to investigate the attack on Sowore and prosecute the offenders including security agents who either watched on or allegedly aided the violence in any way.
Suraju said: “The DSS has been alleged to be complicit in the attack against Sowore just as the Police has been alleged of complicity in various attacks against activists, a diligent investigation and prosecution of this case is a good starting point for the agencies to clear their names, if indeed the allegations are not true.”
Sowore had in a news report giving an account of what he said transpired.
Sowore said, “Today again, the DSS mobilised thugs to attack and kill me for attending Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s farcical trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They came well prepared, however, we cannot be deterred. The struggle continues;”
“I was at the Federal High Court in Abuja today to cover, observe and witness the trial of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu before Justice Binta Nyanko. Soon as court proceedings ended, I left the court room and tried going to my next assignment in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
“A soon as I reached the gate of the Federal High Court, I was alerted to the large presence of thugs and hoodlums carrying dangerous weapons. I had been briefed that these persons were mobilised by Nigeria’s secret police known as the DSS.”
In a viral video of the event, the hoodlums were seen throwing stones while Sowore ran for his life. Sowore was reportedly attacked with dangerous objects leading to the destruction of his car and injuries to some of the occupants in the car traveling with him while he also sustained injuries from broken glasses.
Suraju lamented that while the attack on Sowore was condemned in the strongest term, it is even more worrisome that the attack is becoming a norm as a similar report was made during his last appearance in court for the same purpose where he was physically attacked in the full glare of security agents.
According to him, that experience and case is still to be investigated.
HEDA Chairman noted that the attack against Sowore is one of many incidents of physical, psychological, socio-political attacks against activists ranging from physical attacks, futile litigations, unwarranted arrests and detention, media propaganda, blackmail among others, all indicating a coordinated attempt by a dangerous class within the ruling elite to silence all dissent and eliminate all activists in a fashion even more dangerous than what obtained in the worst days of military regimes.
Suraju said, “Therefore, the Nigeria Police must dissociate itself from such abuses of political offices by diligently investigating these attacks, prosecuting culprits regardless of whose ox is gored and reclaiming the trust of Nigerians based on its popular cliché: “Police is your friend.”
The HEDA Chairman also appealed to the media to wake up to its role as a watchdog.
He also urge journalists to investigate attacks on journalists and activists with a view to protecting freedom of expression, without which, according to him, even the media itself cannot survive.