May Day Arrest of DSM Members: 3 have been Released, 9 still being Held
Press Statement
May Day Arrest of DSM Members: 3 have been Released, 9 still being Held
Some of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) members arrested yesterday at May Day rallies have been released. As we go to press those in Kaduna and Ibadan are still being held. It should be recalled members of DSM were arrested in Abuja, Oyo, Kaduna, Niger and Anambra states yesterday for circulation of a leaflet issued by the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) on monumental corruption and pension fraud and selling of the paper of DSM, Socialist Democracy, with bold headline on pension fund scam.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Odun Eniayekan were released yesterday at the night after spending hours at the cell of the State Security Service (SSS) at the Presidential Villa Abuja. The security operatives however still impounded their materials they were circulating and selling before the arrest. These include 200 copies of Socialist Democracy, the paper of DSM; 200 copies of Manifesto and Constitution of SPN and about 5000 SPN leaflets.
Francis Nwapa arrested and detained at the Anambra State CID has been granted bail after being arraigned by the police before a magistrate court. He was asked to deposit a sum of N20, 000 as bail bond. Though, the state Commissioner of Police, Bala Mogaji Nasarawa, who was bombarded with protest text messages and phone calls by members and supporters of DSM, claimed that the charges against Francis had been withdrawn.
In Kaduna an operative of SSS who introduced himself as Isaac called us with Oladimeji Sadare’s mobile number that we should provide somebody who is as a civil servant or landowner in Kaduna to secure the bail of Oladimeji and Sefiu Amusat.
Abiodun Bamgboye and 6 others who reported this morning around 9am to the SSS headquarters in Ibadan as being ordered after their release yesterday are still being held by 5 30pm.
We once again call on trade union, socialist and human rights activists and organisations, as well as the media, to join us to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Oladimeji Sadare ,Sefiu Amusat, Biodun Bamgboye and 6 others. We commend individuals and organizations whose pressure and intervention had helped secure the release some of our members.