A renowned political activist from Kogi State, Usman Okai Austin, on Friday cautioned the Department of State Services, DSS, against threatening to arrest Omoyele Sowore, a prominent activist.
Okai said arresting Sowore would be an attempt to suppress the voice of suffering Nigerians.
In a statement he signed, the chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said
millions of Nigerians will stand in solidarity with Sowore whose voice is needed now more than ever, hence DSS should wade off the activist.
He noted that the DSS should recognize that “arrests will no longer intimidate suffering Nigerians, whose voices are amplified through Sowore’s advocacy.”
Okay stressed that Sowore’s position embodies the struggles of ordinary Nigerians, who are bearing the brunt of economic hardship under President Tinubu’s administration.
Okai criticized the government’s economic team, stating that they are “on a break” while the Central Bank of Nigeria is left to tackle the country’s economic woes alone.
He urged the Tinubu government to reflect on its actions through Sowore’s activities, which he believes are telling the government the necessary truth.
The activist warned that the DSS’s tactics of suppressing opposing voices are no longer effective and will only exacerbate the situation.
He cautioned that “arresting Sowore would be a misguided attempt to silence the voices of suffering Nigerians, who will continue to demand accountability from their government.”
