Omoleye Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, has provided further insight into his recent experience with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Sowore was briefly detained upon his arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State, but has since been released.
In an interview with News Central’s Dapo Adegboye, Sowore explained that he had made a firm commitment to return to Nigeria and had no plans to leave the country. He also offered more details about the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
He said, “It doesn’t matter what anybody tries to do, and that is why when I was informed that there was a memo sent to the airport that I was declared wanted, it made me feel proud that once again, I was upgraded by the Nigerian government.
“I’ve been on Nigeria’s watchlist since I was in the university in 1992.”
He provided further details about being placed on Nigeria’s watchlist. He explained that individuals at a particular rank have their entry and exit from the country monitored, whereas, in his situation, he is at a level where he would be arrested upon arrival in the country, escorted, and brought to the headquarters of the Department of State Service (DSS) for interrogation.
“When I arrived, Immigration seized my passport when I presented it for processing. After standing around for a while, I asked what the problem was, and they said there were some notations on my passport that needed clarification from Abuja.
“I asked who made the notations, but they directed me to sit while they made numerous calls. After sitting for thirty minutes, I asked the officers what the problem was. They replied that they were still waiting for feedback from Abuja. They eventually took me to their office, where I was detained.”
Sowore had tweeted about his arrest via his official X account just before he was detained.
He wrote, “DETAINED BY THE @NigerianImmigration, my International passport confiscated. I had just arrived in Nigeria from the USA to the MMIA in Lagos; upon reaching Nigerian Immigration, my passport was seized, and they told me they had orders to detain me.
“This is not unexpected because I have always known that It is part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt.
“In case this becomes another prolonged and protracted detention, I urge our citizens to ensure they ALL stop tyranny by all means acceptable and necessary by engaging in the planned series of direct actions slated for October 1st and beyond.#EndBadGovernaceInNigerianow #RevolutionNow.”
He later confirmed his release shortly after.
Sowore expressed concern about his missing bag, hoping authorities had not seized it with the intent to plant anything in it.
“I don’t do drugs”, he said.
When questioned about the cause for his inclusion on the watchlist and its impact on democracy, Sowore stated that it serves as a reminder to those who struggled for democracy that what they fought for has not yet been actualised and that the struggle persists until their objective is attained.
“I don’t know if the democracy as we know it now, globally, is even desirous any more because it has been hijacked everywhere, including from the source, because they no longer do credible elections in the U.S.
“But what is known to us as our own way of interacting and accepting governance in democracy in this country is the basis of our engagement and interaction with governance.”
Watch the full interview below.
