NLC Demands Immediate, Unconditional Release of Omoyele Sowore
August 7, 2025
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of civil rights activist Omoyele Sowore, condemning his arrest as part of an alarming trend of harassment and repression by the state.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the Congress described Sowore’s repeated arrests as unacceptable—especially amid reports that he was injured during the latest incident.
“If Sowore has wronged anyone in government or broken any law, the proper channel is the court—not this continuous cycle of harassment. How many times has Sowore been arrested this year alone?” the statement read in part.
Ajaero emphasized that freedom of speech and association are fundamental rights enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and must be respected by the government at all times.
He warned that allowing such abuses to go unchecked would embolden tyranny: “If the state can arbitrarily detain Sowore today, then no journalist, no trade unionist, no activist, and no ordinary citizen is safe tomorrow. We cannot afford to return to an era where fear replaces freedom and dissent is crushed with force.”
The NLC also stated that such acts of repression tarnish the image of the government, both locally and globally, by portraying it as being above the law.
“It is the responsibility of the government to uphold the law, not bend it to suit its interests. Sowore has become a symbol of moral resistance that we cannot afford to trivialize.”
The Congress demanded:
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Sowore’s immediate and unconditional release
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An end to the intimidation of activists and dissenting voices
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Full adherence to constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and assembly
Reaffirming its solidarity with all victims of state repression, the NLC declared its unwavering commitment to defending the rights of the working class and the oppressed.
“Nigeria must not slip into a police state. A just and democratic society benefits us all,” the statement concluded.
