The Take it Back Movement led by Omoyele Sowore has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the five youths that were allegedly arrested for wearing #BuhariMustGo branded shirts.
The youths were arrested at Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja during the church’s Sunday service.
The church security was said to have arrested the youths and handed them over to the DSS, but the church denied having a hand in their arrest.
Reacting to the incident in a statement on Friday, the movement alleged that the detained youths have been denied access to their lawyer and family members despite not committing any offence.
It said their arrest and continued detention is a contravention of their rights to expression, assembly and freedom movement under the Nigerian constitution.
“For the records, it is important to state that since the unfortunate event which happened five days ago, the detained young people have been denied access to their lawyer and close family members even though they have not committed any offence known to the laws of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“You would agree with us that the arrest and continued detention of these courageous young people have no basis in law and are a contravention of their fundamental human rights to freedom of expression, assembly and freedom movement as guaranteed under sections 39, 40, 41 respectively in the Nigerian constitution and other international conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is a party to.
“Moreover, as we speak, a group of lawyers have filed for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the detained persons in a joint suit involving the DSS who is holding illegally in custody, DSS director General and Pastor Paul Enenche, the senior pastor of Dunamis International gospel centre who handed them over for arrest have been joined in the lawsuit.
“You would recall that the National Assembly earlier debated a five years jail term for alleged unlawful protesters. While we condemn all forms of an attempt by the Muhammadu Buhari regime to attack and stifle free speech, either by outright impunity or by legislative rascality, we call on the lawless entity called the Department of State Services to immediately and unconditionally release Emmanuel Larry, Henry Nwodo, Samuel Gabriel, Ben Manasseh and Anene Udoka as protest remains lawful and democratically permitted in Nigeria.”
The movement also condemned the Buhari-led administration for “acts of heinous violations of the rights of Nigerian citizens who are agitating for the respect for people’s rights to life, dignity and self-determination rights”.
It also asked the DSS to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB); Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), detained Oduduwa republic agitators who “are wallowing in illegal detention”.
“It should be noted that human rights are sacred under the law and they remain guaranteed and protected. We, therefore, call for the immediate and unconditional releases of all these individuals and those not mentioned but are facing unjust punishment,” the movement added.
“To reiterate, if these releases however are not done in the next seven days, a mass Nationwide protest would be called to compel the regime to heed the voice of justice.”
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