Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the removal of the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Nasiru Bello Kankarofi, over the arrest of University of Ilorin lecturer, Elijah Olorunsuwa.
Sowore made the demand in a post on X on Monday while reacting to the arrest of Olorunsuwa, who was reportedly detained by Kogi Police over comments he made on a community WhatsApp group concerning the Kabba-Oke-Offin-Olle-Iluke road project.
Olorunsuwa had reportedly stated that the road project was sponsored by the World Bank, with the Kogi State Government expected to provide counterpart funding. Kogi State Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, however, accused the lecturer of making false and malicious claims capable of discrediting the state government.
According to reports, Olorunsuwa was arrested at his residence in Ilorin by police officers and taken to Kogi State following a petition by Omodara. The lecturer said the officers did not present an arrest warrant and that he had earlier deleted the WhatsApp comments following appeals from community elders. Omodara, however, maintained that the road project was solely funded by the state government and that Olorunsuwa refused to retract his claim.
Reacting to the development, Sowore said the Kogi Police Commissioner must be removed over what he described as repeated arrests and detention of citizens and political critics under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration.
“The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Nasiru Bello Kankarofi, must be removed from office over his repeated arrests and detention of citizens and political critics in the state governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo,” Sowore said.
He added that the Nigeria Police Force should not be used to suppress free speech, silence dissent or settle political scores, stressing that Kogi residents have constitutional rights to criticise government and peacefully express dissent.
“The CP has severally facilitated political intimidation under this command demand that CP Nasiru Bello Kankarofi must go!” Sowore said.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
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