Northern Groups Condemn SERAP, Amnesty Over Sowore Trial

Northern Groups Condemn SERAP, Amnesty Over Sowore Trial

 

 

Two Northern advocacy groups have criticized the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International (AI) for their calls on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the trial of activist Omoyele Sowore.

 

The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA) and the Northern Minorities Back Tinubu Group described the demands as “irresponsible” and warned that any presidential interference in judicial matters could undermine Nigeria’s democracy.

 

In a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, NEYGA spokesman Mallam Ibrahim Dan-Musa commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for allowing Sowore’s case to be handled by the courts rather than resorting to arbitrary detention.

 

“AI and SERAP should understand that Nigeria has three arms of government. It is alarming that NGOs claiming to uphold democracy are now undermining it,” Dan-Musa said. “The DSS has embraced the rule of law in this matter, and this approach should be encouraged, not criticized.”

 

He further cautioned that dragging the President into judicial processes could set a dangerous precedent, adding that Sowore should be allowed to pursue his countersuit against the DSS through proper legal channels.

 

Echoing this position, the Northern Minorities Back Tinubu Group described the stance of SERAP and Amnesty as “shocking and disappointing.” Its convener, Comrade Jacob Edi, said only the courts have the authority to determine whether Sowore overstepped by allegedly referring to the President as a “criminal.”

 

“We remember how Peter Obi’s 2007 legal battle shaped Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence. Similarly, Sowore’s case, if properly handled, could strengthen democratic institutions,” Edi said.

 

He stressed that advocacy groups should work to deepen democracy, not weaken it by encouraging political interference in legal matters.

 

Both groups called on Nigerians to support the independence of the judiciary and give courts the freedom to perform their constitutional duties without external pressure. They also praised the DSS’s renewed respect for the rule of law and urged SERAP and Amnesty International to refrain from dragging the Presidency into judicial affairs.