The Centre for Change has criticised the Nigeria Police Force for re-arresting human rights activist and publisher, Comrade Omoyele Sowore, shortly after he was granted bail by a Magistrate Court in Abuja, describing the act as “unlawful, undemocratic, and a dangerous affront to the rule of law.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 25, 2025, and signed by its President, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the civil rights organisation expressed shock over what it called a “theatrical abuse of power” at the court premises, where Sowore was reportedly whisked away by police operatives moments after securing bail.
According to Okei-Odumakin, the proper procedure in such circumstances is for the Nigeria Correctional Service not the Police to take custody of any defendant yet to perfect bail conditions.
She described the police action as “an unconstitutional usurpation of responsibilities and a shameful violation of judicial authority.
“This is one of the most irresponsible and unlawful acts by a law enforcement agency,” the statement read.
“The Police have no legal mandate to detain a defendant after a court of competent jurisdiction has granted bail.
”Such behaviour weakens confidence in the justice system and ridicules the sanctity of the courts, ” she added.
The Centre for Change reminded the authorities that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as international human rights instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, guarantee every citizen the right to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful protest.
Okei-Odumakin also noted that Nigeria’s democracy was won through the sacrifices of countless citizens who fought for justice and liberty, insisting that such sacrifices must not be betrayed by rising acts of repression and lawlessness.
“Democracy cannot survive without respect for dissenting voices.
“Peaceful protest is not a crime, and no one should be persecuted for demanding accountability from those in power, ” she said.
The group called on the Federal Government to immediately comply with the court’s decision and release Sowore and other protesters who were arrested alongside him.
It urged the Police to desist from arbitrary arrests and to operate strictly within the bounds of the law.
Okei-Odumakin warned that the continued disregard for judicial orders and the growing frequency of human rights violations in the country posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic stability.
“There is an alarming rise in the suppression of civil liberties
“If this pattern continues unchecked, it will erode the very foundation of democratic governance in Nigeria, ” she said.
The Centre reaffirmed its commitment to defending human rights and promoting democratic values, while calling on all Nigerians to remain vigilant in demanding accountability from public institutions.
