It has been confirmed, the convener of #RevolutionNow Protest, Omoyele Sowore was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to reports, the pro-democracy activist was arrested in the early hours of Saturday 3rd of August 2019 in is home at Ikeja at exactly 1:25 am.
Also read: Are Nigerians ready for #RevolutionNow? Amnesty International Nigeria on watch list
According to Sahara reporters, Sowore posted a distress tweet at exactly 1:25 am with an eyewitness confirming that his phone was forcefully taken from him
see below
DSS invades Sowore’s— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) August 3, 2019
He also tweeted " Ja p", confirming his phone must have been seized while trying to raise the alarm about his arrest.
His arrest and detention are not unconnected to #RevolutionNow, a series of planned protests against bad governance in Nigeria scheduled for August 5, 2019.
Meanwhile, Nigerians flock to social media to demand his release see the tweets below
All well-meaning Nigerians should stand with @YeleSowore and defend his constitutional right and freedom to protest any matter of Governance that worries him.— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) August 3, 2019
Mr Sowore’s convening of Citizens to protest Poor Governance - via #RevolutionNow- is Constitutionally guaranteed.
Hmmmm. @AsoRock ought to know that they cannot sustain this unconstitutional habit of repression against #CitizensRights. All these persistent acts of @NGRPresident to shrink the Public Space with rabid level of intolerance for dissension will surely fail.#FreeSoworeNow!— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) August 3, 2019
Fulani tyranny & primitive dictatorship will never win this war against the massed ranks of oppressed people in Nigeria. Suppressing the right to protest in a so-called democracy will only hasten the collapse of that ZOO.#FreeSowore & allow the #RevolutionNow right to protest. pic.twitter.com/ZzjrSWosY7— Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (@MaziNnamdiKanu) August 3, 2019
#FreeSowore Mr president do you still remember this protest pictures, who and who dey front of this picture, Mr buhari is you and you and you and you, but today you are sending DSS to arrest someone that is doing sametin that you did some years ago. #freesowore pic.twitter.com/iYOi2Q6Kdd— P.Master (@peter_nuhu) August 3, 2019
If calling for a revolution is treasonable, at least 70% of Nigerians should be in jail. They have called for it at one point or the other, including those in government now when they were out of government! #FreeSowore ! https://t.co/zbIC2uUcba— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) August 3, 2019
I also add my voice unequivocally to those demanding for @YeleSowore’s release. Free speech and assembly are enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. #FreeSowore— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) August 3, 2019
This is the aftermath of what the armed DSS did to the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement @YeleSowore Car during his arrest overnight. When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty. #RevolutionNow #FreeSowore pic.twitter.com/h4AnTYoeh6— Towolawi Jamiu (@jharmo) August 3, 2019