The Socialist Workers and Youth League, a civil society organisation, has condemned the arrest and unlawful detention of Sahara Reporter's Omoyele Sowore, and his colleagues, Juwon Sanyaolu, Michael Adenola, Peter, and Kimrere barely hours into the wee hours of the new year, for protesting against the Buhari administration.
The group in a statement by its National Secretary, Lai Brown, said the Buhari administration has proven once again, that it cannot be trusted by failing to keep to its promise to end police brutality, harassment and suppression of Nigerians' right to protest.
The statement reads: "The Socialist Workers and Youth League calls for the immediate release of Omoyele Sowore, Juwon Sanyaolu, Michael Adenola, Peter, and Kimrere.
"We want to make it abundantly clear to the Nigerian police and the ruling regime that protest is a fundamental democratic right. A violent attack on peaceful protesters is an attack on one of the most important tenets of democracy.
"It must also be pointed out that protests and mass uprising become inevitable with the continued failure of the current regime and neoliberal capitalism.
"The arrest and brutalisation of Sowore, Juwon and Michael in the early hours of the New Year by the police from Abattoir Division, Abuja, are a clear indication that the basic conditions for the #EndSARS revolt last year still persist.
"The retired Major General Buhari-led government continues to attack poor people and violate fundamental rights. But also, the arrest demonstrates the weakness of the bosses’ state given the failure of their system to address the genuine agitations and demands of the Nigerian masses."
"The #EndSARS revolt demonstrated to us the power to bring to birth social change from below and a Nigeria that works for all and not for the interest of some few.
"It is on this basis that we call on working-class people and student organisations to join in demanding for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested comrades.
"And also that we mobilise to fight for a real and total change. Obviously, the current regime and bosses generally have resolved to intensify attacks and place more burden on the people."