Patrick Agbese, a UK-trained solicitor and dedicated human rights advocate, has welcomed the release of Omoyele Sowore, the prominent activist, while renewing his call for systemic judicial reforms to ensure fair trials for all accused persons in Nigeria.
Sowore, detained by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday after responding to an invitation from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Abuja, was freed on Friday following intense public pressure and nationwide condemnation.
Agbese described Sowore’s release as a victory for collective action but cautioned that it must not overshadow the broader issues of judicial fairness and police misconduct in Nigeria.
“Omoyele Sowore’s release is proof that the Nigerian people’s voice cannot be silenced when we stand united,” Agbese declared.
“However, this is not the end but a call to intensify the fight for justice. The police’s actions against Sowore were a blatant attempt to crush dissent, and we must ensure such abuses are never repeated.”
Sowore’s detention stemmed from allegations of forgery and inciting disturbance, linked to Sahara Reporters’ exposés on alleged corruption within the NPF, including criticism of IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure.
Reports emerged that Sowore suffered a severe injury to his right arm during a forcible transfer to an undisclosed location on Thursday morning, with allegations of noxious gas being used in his cell.
Agbese condemned these actions as a “calculated assault on Sowore’s life and dignity,” likening them to tactics used during Nigeria’s military regimes.
“The Nigeria Police Force must answer for subjecting Sowore to inhumane treatment,” he said. “This was not law enforcement; it was persecution aimed at silencing a fearless advocate for change.”
Agbese, whose UK training has shaped his commitment to defending civil liberties, praised the public outcry that led to Sowore’s release, crediting protests, online campaigns and pressure from groups like Amnesty International and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“The power of collective resistance forced the police to capitulate,” he stated, echoing Sowore’s own remarks that his release was a response to the “revolutionary movement” of supporters.
However, Agbese insisted that the NPF and IGP Egbetokun owe Sowore a public apology for what he called “a cruel violation of his rights.”
He also demanded accountability for those responsible, warning that “any future harm to Sowore or other activists will not go unanswered.”
Beyond celebrating Sowore’s freedom, Agbese called for comprehensive reforms to Nigeria’s judicial system to guarantee fair and transparent trials.
“The police cannot act as accuser, investigator, and jailer in the same case—this violates the principle of natural justice,” he asserted, referencing the NPF’s role as both complainant and detainer in Sowore’s case.
He urged the government to uphold the 1999 Constitution’s 48-hour rule for charging detainees and to end the use of “bogus and politically motivated charges” to target critics, as noted by Amnesty International.
“Every Nigerian deserves a justice system that respects their rights, not one that serves as a tool of oppression,” Agbese said.
