By Ifeizu Joe
Human Rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, an online news platform, Mr Omoyele Sowore has visited detained Awka businessman, Linus Williams, also known as Blord.
Blord had been sent to Kuje Correctional Centre last week for 26 days, after a matter between he and social media activist, Martin Vincent Otse popularly known as Very Dark Man had been adjourned.
Sowore who had condemned the detention of Blord had advised Otse’s counsel, Barr Marshal Abubakar to discontinue the matter. He also promised to ensure Blord was immediately released, describing his detention as oppression.
During his visit on Wednesday, Sowore said the businessman was in high spirit and remained unbroken. He however hinted that Blord’s refusal to join President Bola Tinubu’s political support group, City Boy Movement was at the foundation of his detention.
He said: “We met Blord today and we were surprised that the young man is in high spirit. We went to see him, feeling bad for him because of what he was passing through, but we were surprised to see him in high spirit.
“We visited the correctional centre which is a huge community of oppressed people, and our aim is to ensure that no one is oppressed or detained unjustly in Nigeria, at least during our lifetime.
“We however found that at there is a political undertone to his detention. He had refused to join some other young Igbo businessmen who call themselves City Boys to support Tinubu.
“He made a video saying he would never join city boys, and that it was village people that were pursuing them to join City Boy Movement and they did not take it in good fate and they went after him. All of these would be resolved very soon.”
The activist who also spoke about the protest by leaders of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja to the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it was unfortunate that past leaders were now reinventing themselves as activists, while also insisting that activists don’t make good leaders.
He said: “One thing I can only advise them to do is not to protest when matters concern them alone, they should also protest when it concerns Nigerians.
“Once elections are over next year, Atiku (Abubakar) will return to Dubai where he lives permanently, but for us, we are here. I have even protested on their behalf before. I protest everyday, whether there is election or not.”
