A Look into the Incident and Its Implications
The Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s secret police, made headlines once again on Sunday when they briefly detained Omoyele Sowore, a well-known activist, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), and the founder of Sahara Reporters.
Sowore, an outspoken critic of the Federal government, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos shortly after his arrival in Lagos.
According to eyewitness accounts, Sowore was apprehended by DSS operatives shortly after stepping off his flight. The DSS officers reportedly moved quickly, escorting him out of the airport and into custody. This move surprised many, but for those familiar with the tension between Sowore and Nigeria’s security agencies, it was not entirely unexpected.
Just a day before, Sowore had warned about a possible plot to detain him. In a post on social media, he claimed that security agencies were tracking him with the intent to frame him on false charges. In his typical outspoken and fearless manner, he wrote:
“Yeah! All around in my hometown, they’re tryin’ to track me down, yeah! They say they want to bring me in guilty. However, Babylon must fall! #FearlessInOctober.”
To understand why Sowore has found himself in the crosshairs of the DSS time and time again, let’s look at his history with the Nigerian government. Sowore first gained significant public attention as the founder of Sahara Reporters, an online news platform that became famous for its bold, investigative journalism. Through Sahara Reporters, Sowore exposed government corruption, human rights abuses, and various scandals that rocked Nigeria’s political class.
In 2019, Sowore contested for the presidency under the banner of the African Action Congress (AAC). His campaign was centered on revolutionary ideas and promises to reform the country’s political system. Though he did not win, Sowore continued to use his platform to push for political change in Nigeria. His activism has since led to multiple confrontations with the authorities, including his arrest in 2019 for organizing protests under the banner of the #RevolutionNow movement. He was accused of attempting to overthrow the government—a charge he strongly denied.
Since then, Sowore has remained under the radar of security agencies. His criticism of the government, especially through social media, has been relentless. This recent arrest is just one in a series of events that illustrate the strained relationship between Sowore and the Nigerian state.
The public and media response to Sowore’s arrest was swift. As soon as news of the arrest broke many Nigerians expressed their outrage, calling the arrest an attempt to silence dissent and stifle free speech. Sowore’s supporters were particularly vocal, demanding his immediate release.
It didn’t take long for a familiar face in Nigeria’s political and legal circles, constitutional lawyer Deji Adeyanju, to step into the spotlight. Adeyanju, a close associate of Sowore and a fellow activist, took to Twitter to provide updates. Within hours, he confirmed that Sowore had been released by the DSS. In his update, Adeyanju said:
“Omoyele Sowore released, passport returned to him. Aluta continua.”
The phrase “Aluta continua” is a well-known slogan among activists, meaning “the struggle continues.” It echoed the sentiments of many who believe that despite Sowore’s release, the fight for political freedom and accountability in Nigeria is far from over.
The speed of Sowore’s release raised several questions. Why did the DSS release him so quickly, especially given the tension between him and the government? Some analysts speculate that the arrest was meant as a warning—a show of power by the authorities to remind Sowore that they are still watching his every move.
Another theory is that the DSS, recognizing Sowore’s influence and the potential backlash, decided that holding him for an extended period could lead to significant public unrest. Given Sowore’s popularity, especially among the youth, detaining him for too long could have ignited protests and demonstrations across the country.
Whatever the reason, the decision to release him swiftly suggests that the DSS was careful not to escalate the situation further. Additionally, returning his passport, a document that had previously been seized as a means of restricting his movement, was a sign that the DSS might not have had a strong case to hold him.
Sowore’s arrest brings up broader questions about the state of free speech and democracy in Nigeria. In recent years, there has been growing concern about the government’s efforts to clamp down on dissent. Journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens who speak out against the government have found themselves facing harassment, arrest, and even violence.
While the government often justifies these actions as necessary for maintaining national security, critics argue that these are thinly veiled attempts to stifle opposition and silence voices of dissent. Sowore’s case is emblematic of this larger struggle for free expression in Nigeria.
