The President of De-Advocates for Justice Human Rights Organisation (AJ), Comrade Israel Joe, has urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to end what he described as a personal vendetta against human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.
In a statement issued in Warri, Joe condemned the move by the police to demand details of Sowore’s bank accounts, calling it an attempt to silence dissenting voices in the country.
He warned that his organisation, alongside other civil society groups, would occupy the court in solidarity with Sowore on the day of his trial, stressing that the action would either affirm justice or reflect the collective will of the people.
“This is an antique of the ruling class to silence dissenting voices, especially that of a patriotic activist, nationalist, Pan-African journalist, and businessman in the person of Comrade Omoyele Sowore, through a counter-productive court process,” Joe said.
Recalling his own experience, Joe noted that he faced similar intimidation when he led the #EndHardshipProtest in Delta State, during which police attempted to scrutinize his financial records.
“I was detained for hours while the police scrambled for my financial records to implicate me. However, they found none,” he added.
Joe described the police actions as vindictive and counterproductive, warning that such tactics only strengthen the resolve of activists committed to justice and good governance.
