CSOs condemn detention of Deji Adeyanju
Human rights groups and a lawyer have condemned the arrest and detention of Deji Adeyanju, a political activist, and two others, by the police.
Mr Adeyanju, the convener of Concerned Nigerians, was arrested on Wednesday morning at a protest tagged ‘Police Are Not Politicians, Save Our Democracy’ at the Police Force headquarters in Abuja.
He was subsequently arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday afternoon.''
The judge, Aliyu Kagargo, admitted Mr Adeyanju, Daniel Abobama and Boma Williams, the two others arrested with him, to bail.
They were to each provide sureties that included a level-14 civil servant, a businessman with N20 million bond.
But failure to immediately meet the bail terms allowed correctional officers to keep the three at the Keffi Prisons, about 40 minutes drive from Abuja.
But Ariyo-Dare Atoye, a long-time associate of Mr Adeyanju, told PREMIUM TIMES the leader of Concerned Nigerians and his comrades met their bail conditions as of Thursday afternoon, but the magistrate was unavailable to sign the papers for their release from jail.
They are yet to be released despite perfecting their bail conditions, amidst allegations the police plan to file fresh charges.
Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that the activists’ actions ”were criminally defamatory, and also capable of incitement and breach of public peace.”
Activists, Lawyer React
The Paradigm Initiative of Nigeria (PIN) in a statement signed by its communications officer, Sodiq Alabi, said every citizen is entitled to freedom of speech.
