STATE ABDUCTION OF KOLA EDOKPAYI AND VERY DARK MAN ARE SIGNS OF GROWING AUTHORITARIANISM OF THE TINUBU REGIME THAT MUST BE RESISTED THROUGH MASS STRUGGLE

RELEASE THEM NOW!

The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) condemns the arrest of Kola Edokpayi by the Department of State Services (DSS) and subsequent abduction of Martin Vincent Otse, aka Very Dark Man (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Also condemnable is the incarceration of Thomas Umar, the State coordinator of the Take it Back (TIB) movement in Gombe State, for making social media posts critical of the government.

We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of all the activists and a halt to further erosion of democratic rights.

As far as we are concerned, this abuse of power and heavy repression of critics and free speech further demonstrate the growing authoritarianism of the Bola Tinubu regime.

We believe the call by Kola Edokpayi for a Pan African Solidarity protest in solidarity with the Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso is not an offense under Nigerian or international law. We also find it worrisome that VDM who is a social commentator and a vocal critic of oppressive acts of government and its agencies was abducted by the EFCC, an agency whose only responsibility is to fight financial crimes and not to abduct those who are critical of their activities.

While this arbitrary abduction and arrest of innocent Nigerians and vocal critics continue unabated, the security agencies have closed their eyes to the trending video of a factional NANS president who has alleged Seyi Tinubu of sending cultists to abduct, torture, and strip him naked. Up till now, neither the police nor any other security agency has invited Seyi Tinubu for questioning let alone effected his arrest.

We call on Nigerian youth to commence mobilization towards a Nationwide protest to reject Tinubu’s authoritarianism and his policies of hunger, misery and hopelessness.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Kola Edokpayi, VDM, Thomas Umar and all Nigerians currently incarcerated for expressing their views or criticizing oppressive acts. We also demand dropping of charges against Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others in the Abuja ‘treason’ trial as well as freedom for all #Endbadgovernance protesters still in jail.

Francis Nwapa

National Secretary

Youth Rights Campaign

Email: [email protected]