#EndBadGovernance group seeks release of abducted TikToker
Rights advocacy group, #EndBadGovernance, on Monday condemned the abduction and continued detention of a musician and social critic, Saheed Osama, allegedly lured through a photoshoot and arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
The group in a statement signed by its organizing committee members, Hassan Taiwo and Adegboyega Adeniji, stated that Mr Osama had been missing since Thursday in Lagos, and could be transferred to a police custody in Abuja.
The movement stated that Mr Osama’s arrest was possibly connected to his recent tiktok videos, as well as protests against unresolved controversy surrounding the late music artiste, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The movement said, “As far as we are concerned, public criticism is not a crime. It is part of the ingredients of democracy and the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the 1999 constitution (As amended). Where anyone however feel aggrieved or defamed as a result of the exercise of this freedom, the constitution empowers them to sue the person who has defamed them.
“We condemn the usage of the police to harass, abduct, arrest and detain anyone for exercising their rights to freedom of expression. We urge the Nigerian police to desist from its current operation as a “thug-for-hire” outfit that anyone can easily employ to harass those they are displeased with.”
Faulting the misuse of police officers for arbitrary operations in the country, the movement warned against reducing the security institution to a ‘thug-for-hire’ outfit.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International on Saturday, also called on the Federal Government and police authorities to unconditionally release Mr Osama, describing the manner of his arrest as ‘heavy-handed’ and ‘brazen.
“The Nigerian authorities must respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the right of everyone to freedom of expression. The brazen manner Saheed was ‘arrested’ is heavy-handed and clearly aimed at gagging young Nigerians and restricting their use of social media to examine society and to ask critical questions. The Nigeria police must immediately and unconditionally release Saheed Jamiu Osama,” Amnesty International stated.
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