Drop Trumped-up Charges and Release all Detainees Unconditionally Now!
We of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) formally announce the release of Adaramoye Michael Lenin and Mosiu Sodiq after almost two months in the captivity of Bola Tinubu government. Also freed today is Eleojo Opaluwa, a regional officer of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).
Michael Lenin and Sodiq were abducted on August 5 at the wee hours by the operatives of the National Intelligence Agency in Abuja. Their abduction and subsequent detention were part of the vicious clampdown on the #EndBadGovernance protest across the country especially in Abuja and northern part of the country.
Michael Lenin, National Coordinator of the Youth Right Campaign (ERC) and a member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), was one of the organisers of #EndBadGovernance protest. Since their arrest, Michael and 10 others have been on trial on charges of treason which carries a death penalty.
They were granted bail since September 11 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 custody. Just three out of original 10 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 September 2 was charged to court on September 27. However, 103 are still languishing in detention in Abuja at Police’s IRT and Kuje prison without charges and trial. Also, Khaleed Aminu and 6 others remain in DSS detention in Kaduna while in Kano and elsewhere, there are several activists, journalists and whistleblowers still being held sometimes without access to their family and lawyers. Therefore, it is not yet finally hurrah!
We demand an immediate freedom for everyone still detained in Abuja and across the country in connection with the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest. Besides, despite being out of prison, it is not yet total freedom for Michael Lenin and others as they still remain on trial for treason. We here by demand dropping of all trumped-up charges against them. We also demand the unfreezing of bank accounts of activists and organizations which have been barred in connection with #EndBadGovernance protest
We commend Femi Falana SAN, Olumide-Fusika SAN, Femi Aborisade, Abubakar Marshal, Deji Adeyanju, Ms Olufuke of Hope Behind Bars Africa and all lawyers who rendered pro-bono legal support. Thanks to Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and different groups of public interest lawyers for their intervention.
We say Kudos to socialists, CSOs, trade unions 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 attack by the Tinubu government.
