Adeyanju Condemns Arrest of Soweto, Calls for Release of Detained Activists

Human rights lawyer and activist, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, has condemned the arrest of activists, including Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto, during recent protests in Lagos, describing the action as an attack on the poor and a threat to democratic freedoms.

Adeyanju made his position known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, where he criticised what he termed the criminalisation of poverty and the harassment of citizens advocating for justice and human dignity.

According to him, activism remains a vital pillar of any democratic society and should not be met with intimidation, violence, or detention. He stressed that fighting for the rights of the downtrodden and oppressed is not a crime and must never be treated as such by the authorities.

The human rights lawyer warned that suppressing peaceful protests and silencing voices demanding fairness and accountability undermines the rule of law and weakens public trust in governance.

Adeyanju called for the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Soweto and all other activists allegedly wrongfully detained, urging security agencies to respect citizens’ rights to lawful assembly and free expression.

He further appealed to authorities to stop punishing individuals for demanding their fundamental rights, noting that a democratic society thrives when citizens are allowed to express dissent without fear of repression.