More American lawmakers have joined their colleagues to protest against the continued detention of embattled journalist and activist, Omoyele Sowore.
This is coming after the Nigerian government accused foreign governments of interfering in Nigeria’s affairs by questioning Buhari’s respect for the rule of law.
A presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on Wednesday asked foreign countries to stop interfering in Nigeria’s affairs, especially on the issue of human rights abuses, saying that Nigeria is not answerable to EU, UK or US.
On Tuesday, Chris Coons, a U.S. senator spoke out about Mr Sowore’s re-arrest. Mr Coons is the Vice-Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations.
He said in a tweet that he is “concerned that this case is representative of closing of political and media space in Nigeria. Civil society leaders and human rights defenders should be celebrated, not persecuted, in Nigeria and around the world.”
“I’m deeply concerned by the harassment and repeated detainment of Nigerian activist, journalist, and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore. I urge Nigerian security services to respect due process and the rule of law, release Sowore per his bail terms, and launch an investigation into his re-arrest.”
Again on Thursday, a senator from New York, Chuck Schumer, asked Mr Buhari to honour previous court rulings. He also expressed dissatisfaction over Mr Sowore’s continued detention.
“I am disheartened by reports that Omoyele Sowore—activist, journalist, American citizen—was re-arrested by Nigeria’s government. President Buhari should heed the previous court rulings, and international sentiment, and immediately free Omoyele Sowore now.”
Before now, it was reported that Bob Menendez, a member of the United States Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and Josh Gotthiemer wrote to the Nigerian ambassador in the U.S., Sylvanus Nsofor, over the continuous detention of the political activist.
In the letter dated November 25, the congressmen said there have been a number of troubling reports about Nigeria’s security agencies assaulting and detaining journalists. Mr Menendez in another video and public statement promised US intervention over the case.
Also, in October, a member of the United States House of Representatives, Karen Bass, said the act of the DSS to Mr Sowore violates a “fragment of his fundamental human right”.
Apart from Mr Sowore, the Nigerian government is also illegally detaining many others including a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and the Shiite leader, Ibrahim El Zakzaky.
