Frank, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, said the arrest of Sowore and other peaceful protesters is unjustifiable and marks “a dangerous descent into authoritarianism” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has condemned the arrest and detention of human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, describing the action by the Nigeria Police as a “reckless assault on democracy and freedom of expression.”
Frank, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, said the arrest of Sowore and other peaceful protesters is unjustifiable and marks “a dangerous descent into authoritarianism” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“We strongly condemn this reckless action as an assault on democracy, freedom of speech, and the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Frank said.
According to him, it is “unacceptable that in 2025, Nigerians are still being harassed, intimidated, and detained for peacefully expressing dissenting opinions or calling for good governance.”
Frank, who currently serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, called on President Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and relevant authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Sowore and all other peaceful protesters detained in Abuja and other parts of the country.
“Tinubu’s administration must demonstrate commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights by ending the culture of fear and intimidation. Nigeria is currently facing serious security, economic, and governance challenges that require constructive engagement, not repression,” he stated.
He criticized the government for “wasting state resources on silencing critics while insecurity, corruption, and economic hardship continue to worsen.”
“It is unbecoming of this administration to intimidate and oppress citizens in a democratic period like this. We are not under military rule where dissent is a crime,” he added.
Frank accused the Tinubu-led government of adopting dictatorial tendencies reminiscent of past military regimes, noting that the harassment of protesters, journalists, and opposition figures had become “a daily occurrence.”
“There are so many serious security issues in the country. We expect our security agencies to channel their energy towards arresting bandits, criminals, and Boko Haram members—not innocent citizens who are peacefully protesting against bad governance,” he said.
He also urged the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations, and the international community, including the United States Government, the European Union, and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to intervene and pressure the Nigerian government to respect citizens’ rights.
Citing global examples, Frank said: “We saw massive protests in America and other parts of the world against Donald Trump’s administration, yet the government never tear-gassed or arrested peaceful protesters. That is what true democracy looks like.”
He accused the Tinubu government of prioritizing oppression over governance, saying, “While insecurity ravages the nation, they focus on intimidating citizens instead of fighting corruption. In this government, people who loot the country are rewarded. They negotiate with bandits and criminals while they harass and arrest peaceful protesters.”
Frank further alleged that the administration also targets members of opposition political parties, using the threat of arrest or prosecution to force defections.
He concluded by calling on the United States and other democratic nations “to help rescue Nigerians from the hands of a despotic administration that has betrayed every democratic principle it claims to uphold.”
