The United States Department of State has condemned the rearrest of pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday barely 24 hours after he was released on bail after four months in the detention of Department of State Services.
Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019 by the DSS for calling on Nigerians to pour out to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a post on Twitter on Sunday, the State Department tweeting @StateDRL, said, “We are deeply concerned that #Sowore has been re-detained in #Nigeria shortly after a court ordered he be released on bail.
“Respect for rule of law, judicial independence, political and media freedom, and due process are key tenets of #democracy.”
We are deeply concerned that #Sowore has been re-detained in #Nigeria, shortly after a court ordered he be released on bail. Respect for rule of law, judicial independence, political and media freedom, and due process are key tenets of #democracy.
— U.S. State Dept | Democracy, Human Rights, & Labor (@StateDRL) December 7, 2019
The US State Department’s position follows similar condemnation by top American lawmakers like Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, who both called for the respect of Sowore’s rights and his immediate release.
