- Sowore claimed his arm was broken and he was sprayed with chemicals while in police custody Thursday morning.
- Atiku described the police action as a misuse of state power that must be condemned by lovers of justice.
The former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Nigeria Police Force for holding activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, in custody after honouring a police invitation.
Sowore had visited the force headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday in response to a petition being handled by the inspector-general of police monitoring unit.
He was accompanied by his legal team, some activists, and members of the ‘Take It Back Movement’.
Despite honouring the invitation, he was not allowed to leave and ended up spending the night in detention.
By Thursday morning, the activist alleged that he had been physically assaulted while in custody, claiming that his arm was broken by police officers.
Reacting to the development, Atiku described the actions of the monitoring team as an unjustifiable display of power and demanded accountability.
In a post shared via his X handle, the former PDP presidential candidate called for a broader condemnation of the alleged mistreatment.
“The treatment of Omoyele Sowore by the IGP Monitoring Team is a shameful abuse of power. It is wrong, unlawful, and must be condemned by all who believe in justice,” he wrote.
Atiku alleged that Sowore’s ordeal followed his criticism of governance, including accusations of injustice, nepotism, and misrule.
He claimed that officers acting on directives from the IGP’s office assaulted the activist, broke his arm, and used chemical spray on him during an early morning raid.
He argued that such conduct goes beyond lawful police work and borders on personal retaliation.
Quoting the Nigeria Police Regulation, Atiku referenced Regulation 367, which prohibits any officer from initiating legal action based on personal interest or on matters tied to official duties.
He questioned the propriety of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, being both the petitioner and the authority deploying personnel to act on the same petition.
The former vice-president insisted on Sowore’s immediate and unconditional release and warned against using state institutions to silence dissenting voices.
Sowore has recently clashed with police authorities over his position on the extension of the IGP’s tenure and alleged neglect of retired police officers’ welfare.