Rafsanjani said the incident raises serious concerns about respect for fundamental rights, judicial sanctity and the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, warning that attacks on citizens within court premises undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has condemned the alleged assault and manhandling of human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, by security operatives within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, CISLAC Executive Director and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, described reports of Sowore’s treatment following court proceedings that revoked his bail and ordered his remand in Kuje Correctional Facility as deeply troubling and inconsistent with democratic norms and the rule of law.
According to the organisation, eyewitness accounts indicated that security operatives used excessive force in handling the activist, dragging and manhandling him in full view of lawyers, supporters and members of the public.
Rafsanjani said the incident raises serious concerns about respect for fundamental rights, judicial sanctity and the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, warning that attacks on citizens within court premises undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.
