Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, has been released minutes after his arrest at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State. Sowore was detained by the Nigerian Immigration Service upon his arrival from the USA, with his passport confiscated.
In a post on his official X handle, Sowore had earlier revealed his detention, stating, “I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA at MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.” He attributed his arrest to the “fascist @officialAbat regime’s” fear of dissent and the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt.
However, in a turn of events, Sowore was released shortly after his detention. He announced his release on his X handle, writing, “I have just been released by the Nigerian Immigration after a brief detention and my passport released back to me.”
Sowore’s arrest and release come amid a leaked DSS memo ordering his arrest upon arrival in Nigeria. His detention had sparked concerns about the government’s clampdown on dissent and opposition voices. Despite his release, Sowore remains a vocal critic of the government and has called for direct actions against tyranny.
