“There will be consequences in our relationship with Nigeria” – US Government Comments on Sowore’s Arrest

The United States Government has commented on the rearrest of Yele Sowore in the court room by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Insider NJ reports that Senator Bob Menendez, a Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from New Jersey, issued a statement concerning the arrest.

Menendez, in the statement, revealed that his office had been involved in securing Sowore’s release. He said:

I am outraged by the blatant harassment of Omoyele Sowore, an activist and journalist whose only crime appears to be exercising his right to free expression.

In a concerted effort to secure his release on behalf of the Sowore family living in New Jersey, my office has been working closely with the State Department as Mr. Sowore’s case languished following his arbitrary arrest back in August. While we continue to seek immediate answers about Mr. Sowore’s treatment and conditions in jail, I will be further engaging directly with U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard in Abuja to raise this case at the highest levels of the Nigerian government so the Buhari Administration gets the message that we are committed to defending Mr. Sowore’s rights and securing his release.

This blatant miscarriage of justice is symptomatic of closing political and media space in Nigeria.

A video shared on Twitter by @kikelomosowore showed parts of the press conference, where Menendez said there will be consequences in the US’s relationship with Nigeria is any harm comes to Sowore.

US respond officially @MBuhari Barbarism on Sowore
“We are watching and will be reviewing our relationship with the Nigeria government and any harms that comes to Sowore, there will be consequences”

US Senator Menendez addressed world press conference with Sowore’s wife pic.twitter.com/cad6njH4ed

— Kikelomo sowore (@KikelomoSowore) December 7, 2019