Police arrest activist over planned protest against IGP

The Nigerian police on Sunday arrested activist, Henry Nwodo at the Ruga-Fulani village in the Jahi 2 area of Abuja.

Nwodo who was reportedly planning a protest to address alleged police harassment and extortion of Nigerians.

According to reports the activist was apprehended around 8:30 pm by five armed officers who arrived in a black car without license plates.

He was subsequently driven away, sparking concerns about the suppression of peaceful activism in the country.

“The police officers arrested him at Ruga-Fulani market immediately he got down from the bike,” Miss Rose, an eyewitness, told our reporter, adding that “he (Mr Nwodo) was beaten, his phone seized while he was resisting, but they immediately pushed him into a waiting black car and drove off.”

Mr Nwodo, a member of the Take It Back Movement, is one of the organisers of the #OccupyPoliceHQ to End Police Extortion protest slated for Monday, 27 January, at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.

Mr Nwodo’s housemate, Emiola Osifeso, told newsmen that the activist had gone to the night market to purchase rice for dinner when the police arrested him.

“He was the only one arrested in the area. Eyewitnesses told us that the car used by the police to take him away had been parked there for hours before Nwodo’s arrival on a bike,” Mr Osifeso said.

He further stated that “His arrest is connected to tomorrow’s protest at the police headquarters,” adding that “some residents said the vigilante officers in the area outed him to the police.”

The planned protest was spurred by Omoyele Sowore, an activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 presidential election.

Mr Sowore will appear before the police on Monday following an invitation in relation to a viral video he released of alleged extortion at a police checkpoint in Lagos.

Sharing a picture of the official invitation letter in a post on X.com on Friday, Mr Sowore wrote, “The PoliceNG⁩ invitation has arrived, I will be there on Monday as requested.”

The letter from the Force Intelligence Department of the NPF partly reads, “This office is investigating cases of Resisting and Obstructing Public Officers, Disobedience to Lawful Order, Acts Intended to Cause Grievous Harm or Prevent Arrest, Compelling Action by Intimidation, Reckless & Negligent Acts, Refusal to Assist Public Servant and Cyberstalking in which your name featured, prominently.

“You are requested to report for an interview with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID) through the undersigned, at SPO’s Room 212, 2nd Floor, Force Intelligence Department (FID) Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, opposite Force Headquarters Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Monday, 27th January, 2025 at 10am.”

The letter added that Mr Sowore is at liberty to come along with his attorney.

The former presidential candidate had disclosed in a post on Facebook on Thursday that he had been contacted by a senior police officer “who requested my presence for questioning regarding an extortion video I did at a police ‘checkpoint’ in Lagos, which prompted the police hierarchy to launch a manhunt for me.”

He also disclosed on Wednesday night via X that the police were “searching” for him but expressed readiness for arrest. He stated that he is currently available in Abuja.