Why Buhari needs to apologise to Sowore, Dasuki, others over rights abuse – Timi Frank

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to apologise to Omoyele Sowore, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and other detained Nigerians for infringing on their rights.

In a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday, Frank applauded the senators of the United States of America (USA) and the American government for putting pressure on Nigerian government to release the duo.Thanking Nigerians, especially human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who fought for justice even with threats to their lives, he argued that but for the pressure by the USA government, Sowore would still be languishing in Directorate of State Services (DSS’s) detention.

Declaring that, “Truly the American government is the police of the world,” he charged the USA, European Union (EU), United Nations (UN) and all lovers of democracy including Nigerians in the Diaspora to assert more pressure on the Nigerian government to release other political prisoners in the country.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has succeeded in oppressing its citizens, no more freedom of speech and the right to association. Just a few days ago, General Buhari and APC thugs beat Deji Adeyanju to stupor.“The activist was beaten up for protesting against the continued detention of Sowore, yet the ruling party had the nerves to accuse the opposition of masterminding the attack, indeed this government is not only clueless, but shameless,” he stated.

Besides, Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights, Opeyemi Bamidele, has appealed to Nigerians not to capitalise on the mistakes of the DSS to pass unseemly comments that could diminish the President Buhari’s government’s respect for the judiciary. Bamidele said Dasuki and Sowore’s release from detention had neutralised the claim that the All Progressives Congress (APC)- led government, was muzzling the judiciary.

The representative of Ekiti Central Senatorial District stressed that their release further corroborated President Buhari’s belief in the judiciary and as a bastion of democracy and the rule of law.

Meanwhile, organised labour has commended the Federal Government for the release of Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser (NSA) and Sowore, a civil rights activist from detention. A member of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Executive Council (NEC), Comrade Issa Aremu, said in in a statement yesterday, that “It is remarkable that the DSS has finally complied with the court orders directing it to release some detainees notably convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Sowore and Dasuki.“With this singular move, it should be assumed that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has resumed duties as the country’s chief law officer,” he said.