Activist Deji Adeyanju secures release of 26 detained protesters, demands more freedom

Prominent Nigerian lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has announced the release of 26 individuals, including six journalists, who were detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.

Adeyanju, who has been at the forefront of securing the release of detained protesters, made this known in an interview with Vanguard.

According to Adeyanju, the released individuals were held by the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja. He noted that while most of those released were male, two females were also freed. All were released unconditionally.

“We have been able to release 26 protesters, including six journalists, from the Nigeria Police Force and DSS in Abuja,” Adeyanju stated. He added that while significant progress had been made, many protesters remain in custody, particularly in Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Jigawa.

Adeyanju revealed that there are still 16 known protesters detained in Abuja, with hundreds more believed to be held in various other states. He expressed hope that security agencies would act reasonably and release all detained protesters, asserting that their continued detention was unjustified.

The lawyer also disclosed that his team was preparing to issue a 48-hour ultimatum to the authorities for the release of the remaining detainees. Should this demand go unmet, Adeyanju vowed to take legal action against the security agencies for violating the protesters’ rights.

Criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s stance on the protests, Adeyanju remarked, “The President as a perpetual protester himself, I do not know why all of a sudden he has become an oppressor and fast becoming a tyrant that does not have regard for the fundamental rights of protesters in a democracy. It is ironic and sad, and he stands completely condemned.”

Oreoluwa Ojelabi

Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.