NDIA alleged that security agencies, including the DSS and the police, were increasingly being used to target political dissidents rather than addressing pressing security challenges facing the country.
The Niger Delta Initiative Austria (NDIA) has condemned the remand of human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, at the Kuje Correctional Centre, describing the development as an attack on democracy and political dissent in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by its President and Founder, Nyherowo Ochuko Ohimor-Eriema, the organisation criticised the revocation of Sowore’s bail over an alleged missed court appearance in a case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over comments he made online about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group argued that the treatment of Sowore, who is also the publisher of SaharaReporters and a multiple presidential candidate, signalled a growing pattern of state intimidation against opposition figures and government critics.
According to the statement, prosecuting a prominent opposition politician over comments made on social media reflects a dangerous trend that threatens democratic freedoms and freedom of expression.
