August 27, (THEWILL) — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Inspector General of Police to drop what it described as “bogus charges” against journalist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore is facing multiple charges, including alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraud, brought by the police.
On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered six banks—UBA, GTB, Zenith, Opay, Moniepoint, and Kuda—to furnish the IGP with details of Sowore’s accounts.
In a statement on Wednesday, SERAP said the journalist had already suffered a “terrible miscarriage of justice” for peacefully exercising his human rights and must not be subjected to another round of arbitrary prosecution.
The group stated, “Nigerian authorities must end the weaponisation of the criminal justice system to intimidate and harass Sowore.
“The charges appear to be in retaliation for his peaceful exercise of freedom of expression and assembly.”
The organisation noted that intimidation of journalists and the independent press was a direct violation of the 1999 Constitution as amended, as well as Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Peaceful dissent and opinions are the cornerstone of a democratic society. Restricting them undermines the rule of law,” SERAP stressed
He urged the government to halt the shrinking of civic space and respect the rights of journalists, human rights defenders, and activists.
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