Chido Onumah the Nigerian activist released on Sunday evening following his arrest earlier in the day while returning from Spain said he was arrested because he wore a shirt with the inscription: ‘We Are All Biafrans.
He was arrested by operatives of the secret police while waiting for his luggage at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
He said, “I was arrested for wearing the T-shirt because the SSS said it is capable of causing disaffection in the country.
”They said some people had issues and had contacted them (SSS) whether I was a part of a group that was planning against the country.”
The inscription, ‘We Are All Biafrans’, is the title of a book Onuma wrote on the need to restructure Nigeria.
Onumah’s arrest trended on social media on Sunday with many Nigerians and groups was arrested, calling for his release.
In a statement, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) called for his immediate and unconditional release.”
The statement by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, read, “This is yet another clear signal of Nigeria’s distancing from international human rights law. We urge the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all other journalists and activists currently in detention for their legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression.”
“Nigerian authorities should stop harassing and intimidating journalists, human rights defenders and anti-corruption activists.”
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