The African Action Congress (AAC) said it was alarmed by the brutal attack on its presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, during the 12 June Democracy Day protest in Abuja.
The protest was organised by the Take It Back Movement and other civil society groups across the country.
But the party said during the peaceful demonstration, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force sprayed an unknown aerosol-based chemical directly into Sowore’s face, causing him to collapse and temporarily lose consciousness.
A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of AAC, Rex I. Elanu, said the disturbing incident raises serious concerns about the growing use of violent and repressive tactics against opposition voices in Nigeria.
“We are reminded of the tragic case of Chuba Okadigbo, a prominent critic of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who died days after being exposed to tear gas at an opposition rally in Kano in 2003. While the circumstances surrounding his death remain a subject of public controversy, the incident stands as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by opposition figures in an atmosphere of political intolerance.
“AAC condemns Nigeria’s return to an era in which critics of those in power are intimidated, brutalised, persecuted, or eliminated.
“We have observed a disturbing pattern of actions directed at Sowore since 2016. These include an attack by a political thug shortly after he established the SaharaReporters Media Lab in GRA, Ikeja; multiple documented assaults by the Nigeria Police Force; the invasion of a Federal High Court courtroom in Abuja by the Department of State Services (DSS) to abduct him during a live court proceeding; the breaking of his nose during an attack in 2021; and an incident in which a police officer shot him in the thigh with a riot gun.
“His younger brother was also killed under circumstances that many continue to regard as suspicious and resembling an assassination near Benin City.
“Having failed to incapacitate Sowore through a series of physical attacks, the government has increasingly resorted to lawfare, including frivolous prosecutions, politically motivated lawsuits, travel restrictions, and other forms of harassment.
“It is deeply troubling that the Bola Tinubu administration now appears willing to resort to even more dangerous methods,” the party said.
AAC called on the international community, democratic governments, human rights organisations, and global institutions to urgently address the escalating threats against Omoyele Sowore and to take appropriate measures to deter any further attacks.
“Nigeria must not witness another tragedy before its citizens and the international community rise to defend social justice advocates, human rights defenders, and principled political activists.
“The rights of citizens to protest peacefully and the rights of opposition figures to participate freely in the democratic process must be respected and protected.
“No amount of intimidation, repression, or violence will deter AAC and the Nigerian people from the struggle for justice, freedom, and genuine liberation.
“The international community’s response will significantly influence our party’s next steps—or lack thereof—to this grave situation,” the statement added.
