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George Oshogwe Ogbolu
Guest
Nigerian human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, was once again detained by Nigerian immigration officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos upon his return from Accra, Ghana.
Naija News reports that this marks yet another incident in an ongoing series of confrontations between Sowore and Nigerian authorities.
The #RevolutionNow movement convener was initially stopped by immigration officers on Friday while leaving Nigeria for Accra.
On his return to Lagos on Sunday, he was stopped again but eventually allowed to go after several minutes of confusion among the officials, who reportedly referenced his name being on a government watchlist.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, Sowore said, “They were panicky; they were running around, calling their bosses,” describing the scene before he was released.
This incident follows a pattern of what Sowore has repeatedly described as targeted harassment by Nigerian authorities.
On his X (formerly Twitter) account, Sowore detailed how he was also harassed while leaving the country.
“The Nigerian Immigration Service continues to subject me to unwarranted harassment and abuse, violating my rights repeatedly,” he tweeted, adding that officials again cited the watchlist as the reason for the delays.
Sowore, a fierce critic of the Nigerian government, has faced numerous attempts by authorities to curtail his activism.
This latest detention is seen by Sowore as another attempt by the government to intimidate him.
The activist accused the administration of prioritizing the surveillance and harassment of critics over the apprehension of terrorists, bandits, and corrupt officials.
He pointed out the failure of authorities to take action against former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, despite alleged corruption, while simultaneously placing him on a watchlist.
In September, a leaked memo revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had ordered Sowore’s arrest upon his return to Nigeria, sparking widespread criticism.
Sowore condemned the DSS’s directive, describing it as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to suppress his activism. The DSS had previously detained him at Lagos airport and seized his passport, only to release him after international outcry.
The post Immigration Officers Harass, Detain Sowore At Lagos Airport appeared first on Naija News.