The 2023 presidential candidate for the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore was arrested Sunday morning at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos.
Sowore, who arrived in Lagos from Washington, D.C., around 9:43 AM local time, was detained by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service shortly after landing. His international passport was also confiscated, following what appeared to be an order for his arrest.
In a social media post via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sowore confirmed the situation, stating, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.”
Reports indicate that a memo from the Department of State Services leaked earlier, which ordered the arrest of the activist and political figure upon his return.
“This is not unexpected,” Sowore said, linking the detention to his outspoken criticism of the current administration. “I have always known that it is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist regime on dissent.”
Sowore also mentioned that this action could be in response to the upcoming protests scheduled for October 1, which have been dubbed the #FearlessINOctober movement.
In his post, he urged Nigerians to stand up against what he described as “tyranny” through direct action, stating, “In case this becomes another prolonged and protracted detention, I urge our citizens to ensure they ALL stop tyranny by all means acceptable and necessary.”
