09/10/2024
Drop charges, and release protesters still held
Adaramoye Michael Lenin and Mosiu Sodiq have been released from prison after almost two months in the captivity of Bola Tinubu’s government. Also freed today is Eleojo Opaluwa, a regional officer of the National Union of Electricity Employees.
Michael Lenin and Sodiq were abducted in the wee hours of 5 August by the operatives of the National Intelligence Agency in Abuja. Their abduction and subsequent detention were part of the vicious clampdown on the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country, especially in Abuja and the northern part of the country.
Michael Lenin, National Coordinator of the Youth Right Campaign and a member of the Democratic Socialist Movement, was one of the organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protests. Since their arrest, Michael and ten others have been on trial on charges of treason, which carries a death penalty.
They were granted bail from 11 September following a strident local and international campaign for their release. But the stringent conditions of the bail meant that they spent three more weeks in prison. Just three out of the original ten charged with treason had been previously freed – Abayomi Adeyemi, Angel Loveth and Nuradeen Khamis.
Still in detention are Daniel Akande, Bashir Bello, Suleiman Yakubu and Abdulsalam Zubairu. Daniel, who was arrested on 2 September, was charged to court on 27 September. However, 103 are still languishing in detention in Abuja without charge and trial. Also, Khaleed Aminu and seven others remain in detention in Kaduna. In Kano and elsewhere there are several activists, journalists and whistleblowers still being held. Therefore, it is not yet finally hurrah!
We demand immediate freedom for everyone still detained in connection with the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest. Despite being out of prison, Michael Lenin and others remain on trial for treason. We hereby demand the dropping of all trumped-up charges against them. We also demand the unfreezing of bank accounts of activists and organisations which have been barred in connection with #EndBadGovernance protests.
We say kudos to socialists, trade unions and other organisations and activists locally and internationally for their various solidarity actions.
We call on working people and youth to sustain the struggle against anti-poor capitalist policies and attacks on democratic rights by the Tinubu government.
Nigeria Solidarity 