Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, was briefly detained and released shortly after his arrest on Sunday morning.
Sowore was arrested upon arrival at Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State. Upon arrival from the USA, Sowore recounted that his passport was confiscated by Nigerian Immigration officers, who informed him they had orders to detain him.
Sowore responded to the incident by stating, “This is not unexpected, as I have always anticipated such actions as part of the broader clampdown by the fascist @officialAbat regime on dissent and their fear of the upcoming #FearlessINOctober revolt.” He urged citizens to resist tyranny through peaceful direct actions, particularly the planned protests slated for October 1 and beyond.
Sowore’s flight departed Washington Dulles International Airport at 6:14 EDT and arrived in Lagos around 9:43 am.
Just days earlier, on September 12, 2024, a leaked Department of State Services (DSS) memo had revealed an order for his arrest upon entry into Nigeria.
However, after his brief detention, Sowore shared via his official X handle that he had been released by Nigerian Immigration officials, and his passport, which had initially been confiscated, was returned to him. In his statement, he said, “I have just been released by the Nigerian Immigration after a brief detention, and my passport has been returned to me.”
