The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA),has condemned the trumped up and orchestrated illegal charges for cybercrime allegedly filed against the opposition political actor and an activist Mr. Omoyele Sowore by the Inspector-General of Police just for the allegation that the activist reportedly calling him an ?illegal IGP?.

?We make haste to state categorically and without any shadows of doubts that the Inspector-General of Police Mr. Kayode Egbetokun is derailing from the constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force by misusing and abusing the powers of the office of the IGP against citizens who simply expressed their opinions supported by CHAPTER 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended as it regards the freedom to exercise rights to free speech and freedom of expression.?

?The IGP has now charged some citizens illegally under the guise of applying the anti cybercrime Act. The latest charges filed reportedly by the IGP against Mr. Omoyele Sowore is absolutely despicable, politically motivated and is a direct affront to the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms which are inalienable, universal and all persons and authorities in Nigeria are bound by the provisions of the Grund Norm of Nigeria which is the extant constitution.

?What the IGP is doing amount to abuse of power and corruption of the high office of the IGP which is prohibited by section 15(5) which says: ?The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Those kangaroo charges been inherently illegal and unconstitutional, should be withdrawn henceforth. We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop the IGP from attracting global opprobrium to Nigeria in the international community because observers around the World seeing the dramatic change of charges against Mr Sowore within a span of 48 hours by the same police, these international and local observers may concluded that the police is turning Nigeria to a BANANA REPUBLIC.

The civil society organisation, recalled vividly that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reportedly filed cybercrime charges against human rights activist Omoyele Sowore for nicknaming him an ?Illegal IG?.

HURIWA recalled that Sowore was invited by the Force for questioning at the Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT office at Old Abattoir by Guzape Junction, Abuja, on Monday.

Although the police granted him bail, the activist chose to remain in custody due to what he termed illegal conditions. HURIWA endorsed the decision of Sowore in rejecting the ullegal bail conditions because you can?t charge an innocent man for an offence he didn?t commit and then frame up unbelievable and contradictory conditions for bail and the police expected that Mr. Sowere should stamp the illegality of the supposed law enforcement agency with unquestionable approval. What Sowore has done is most appropriate.

HURIWA quoted extensive media reports that he was to be arraigned before Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja at 9 am on Wednesday.

The charges levelled against the activist are contrary to the initial allegations contained in an invitation letter sent to Sowore last week.

The invitation letter claimed that the police were ?investigating a case of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to a lawful order, acts intended to cause grievous harm or prevent arrest, compelling action by intimidation, reckless and negligent acts, refusal to assist a public servant, and cyberstalking, in which your name featured prominently.?

The three charges obtained by DAILY POST on Tuesday are all related to cybercrime and focus on the nickname ?Illegal IG? that Sowore used to refer to Egbetokun, the police chief, on his social media pages.

HURIWA condemns the police for the brazen misuse of the powers of the office of the IGP because Mr. Sowore was initially accused of obstructing the police from exercising their lawful duties but because Mr. Sowore kicked against the charade of a bail with toxic conditions imposed by the police, he rejected it, therefore provoking the police?s hierarchy to come up with fresh, strange and all together kangaroo and fraudulent charges of cybercrime.

?This open abuse of power by the IGP is the reason why millions of Nigerians have lost confidence and trust in the Nigeria Police Force as a truly people's police. If the police can within 24 hours manufacture grotesque charges against Mr. Sowere whose encounter with the police in Abuja was extensively covered by the media globally, how much worse will the cases of voiceless and poor Nigerians be since even Mr. Sowere who has widespread media coverage has been slammed with all together fraudulent charges of cybercrime? This is totally unjustifiable and unacceptable. The IGP should go after terrorists, kidnappers, cultists, mass murderers, armed Fulani terrorists and bandits and leave activists, journalists alone to continue to act as the consciences of the nation as captured and encapsulated in section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Update news