- ‘I Felt Guilt Leaving Innocent People Behind In Prison’ – Sowore
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He expresses guilt for leaving innocent Nigerians behind in prison.
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The activist says justice in Nigeria is “broken and sold.”
African Action Congress (AAC) 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has lamented the plight of innocent Nigerians still languishing in prison after his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre on Monday.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Sowore was freed after meeting the bail conditions granted by an Abuja Magistrate’s Court, following his arrest alongside 13 others during the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held in the Federal Capital Territory last week.
Those arrested with him included Nnamdi Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, and several other supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
They were arraigned before Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id on charges of unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace.
In his ruling, Magistrate Sai’id granted bail to the defendants in the sum of ₦500,000 each, requiring them to present a verified National Identification Number (NIN), provide three years of tax clearance certificates, and deposit their international passports.
After fulfilling these conditions, Sowore and the other defendants were released from detention on Monday evening.
Reacting to his freedom in a post shared on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), Sowore expressed guilt and sorrow for the many Nigerians he left behind in prison, describing their only “crime” as being poor or voiceless.
“There’s nothing more painful than seeing innocent people left behind in prison. When I was being released today, I felt guilt because I left behind children or adults whose only ‘crime’ is being poor or voiceless while the powerful walk free. It’s a brutal reminder that justice in Nigeria is often broken and sold,” he wrote.
The human rights activist added that every wrongful imprisonment “steals time, hope, and dignity,” stressing that the struggle for justice in Nigeria must continue.
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