The Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement has issued a forceful condemnation of the continued detention and alleged mistreatment of activist Omoyele Sowore by Nigerian security forces.
In a press release signed by Comrade Muhammad Halilu, the Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky-led group demanded Sowore’s immediate unconditional release to enable medical treatment for his injured left hand, while calling for an end to security force impunity and a return to respect for due process.
The statement detailed a pattern of persecution against the journalist, including denial of legal access and what they described as politically motivated charges over years of activism.
Invoking their leader’s teachings, the Forum declared that “oppression is oppression regardless of the victim’s religion, ethnicity or political affiliation,” urging civil society and international observers to break their silence on the matter.
The forum described Sowore’s case as emblematic of broader governmental crackdowns on dissent, warning that “silence in the face of oppression is complicity.” The group reiterated their unwavering commitment to defending human rights, vowing to oppose tyranny regardless of the identities of oppressor or oppressed.
The statement comes amid growing tensions between civil society groups and security agencies over the treatment of government critics, with Sowore’s prolonged legal battles becoming a rallying point for press freedom advocates nationwide.
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