FREE OMOYELE SOWORE NOW: AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

PRESS STATEMENT

Thursday, August 7, 2025
FREE OMOYELE SOWORE NOW: AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

The Take It Back Movement Lagos State chapter strongly condemns the unlawful arrest, illegal detention, and inhumane treatment of our National Leader, Omoyele Sowore, by men of the Nigerian Police Force under the tyrannical command of the so-called Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Sowore, a consistent voice for the oppressed and a champion of democratic ideals, was arrested and detained for daring to speak truth to power and stand firmly against the oppression of the Nigerian people. This act of desperation by the police hierarchy is nothing short of state-sponsored persecution aimed at silencing dissent and crushing activism.

We are especially alarmed and enraged to learn that while in detention, Omoyele Sowore suffered a broken hand, a direct result of physical assault and cruel treatment by security agents. This brutality is a clear violation of his human rights and a shameful reflection of the lawlessness that has gripped our security institutions under IGP Egbetokun’s watch.

Kayode Egbetokun has turned the Nigerian Police Force into a private militia for the ruling class, using the power of the state to suppress, maim, and cage citizens whose only “crime” is demanding justice, equity, and accountability.

We demand, without compromise, the immediate and unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore and a public investigation into the circumstances that led to the assault and injury inflicted on him in custody. Those responsible must be held accountable, including the Inspector General of Police himself, who must take full responsibility for these violations.

In defiance of this injustice, the Take It Back Movement will be staging a mass protest at the Lagos State Police Command and simultaneously across all 36 states of the federation. These protests will continue until Omoyele Sowore is released and justice is served.

Let it be clear: we will not be silent while our comrades are brutalized. We will not retreat in the face of tyranny. We will not be intimidated.

The Take It Back Movement calls on all pro-democracy forces, human rights organizations, the international community, and the Nigerian masses to rise in solidarity and demand justice.

Enough is enough! Free Sowore now!

Signed,
Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek
Lagos State Coordinator,
Take It Back Movement