The protesting young Nigerians who took to the streets today against Abba Moro, the minister of interior who many believe is being shielded by Pres. Goodluck Jonathan despite his shoddy handling of the Nigeria Immigration Service Recruitment exercise which led to the death of several job seekers across the country.
One of the arrested persons, popular blogger, Japheth Omojuwa, tweeted at about 8:30pm that “we are leaving the SSS command. It’s been a long day from NSCDC, to police, to SSS. thank you guys. You rock!”
Few minutes later, he tweeted again, saying, “Thank you! You have a voice and it rings beyond social media! thank you so much.”
Another of the arrested persons whose twitter handle is @C_Lawan also thanked everyone. He said they have been released following “calls from high, but then we were told calls from high ordered our arrest.”
We are leaving the SSS command. It's been a long day from NSCDC, to police to SSS. THANK YOU GUYS. You rock!
— J | #ShapeAfrica2014 (@omojuwa) April 2, 2014Thank you! You have a voice and it rings beyond social media! Thank you so much!
— J | #ShapeAfrica2014 (@omojuwa) April 2, 2014Nigerian blogger and entrepreneur, Japeth Omojuwa has been arrested for leading the NIS protest.
He was harrassed and taken to the Nigerian civil defence office from area 1, the venue of the Nigerian patriots protest. He is still being held in NSCDC custody.
Prominent online political activist, Japheth Omojuwa, blogger Uche Briggs, Human rights activist Azeernah Mohammed amongst others were today arrested by officials of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The trio with a couple of other Nigerians were arrested for staging a protest demanding the sack of the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro who the government has refused firing following the tragedy that resulted in at least 19 people dying from the NIS recruitment exercise.
The protest march, which commenced in the popular Area 1 district of the Federal capital at about 2:30pm involved a march at the residence of Mr. Moro where the protesters were to carry empty coffins to symbolize the memories of the 19 persons who died.
According to a source at the scene of the protest, Omojuwa and a couple of other protesters were moved from the Area 1 meeting point while they were preparing to join the other protesters carrying the coffin that would be delivered to Abba Moro, but their vehicle had broken down.
During the altercations before he was moved away, the FCT command of the Civil Defence, a female NSCDC official was seen hitting Mr Omojuwa in the face, while other officials were seizing journalists’ cameras and ID cards.
Some of the arrested were beaten up at the NSCDC headquarter before they were later transferred to the office of the State Security Service in Asokoro.
"They’re trying to brutalise me", Omojuwa said. He was led away with Uche Briggs to the SSS FCT Command in Asokoro, sources said.
Another source confirmed that Omojuwa’s trousers were dusty from where he’d been allegedly manhandled, but otherwise looked intact.
But just when some human rights lawyers were reported to have followed Omojuwa and Uche to SSS office in Asokoro, another report came in that they had been transferred to Yellow House, SSS HQ scene of violent gun battle during the weekend in which 21 people died!!!
Meanwhile, Nigerians have started voicing out their anger over the arrest of Omojuwa et al who they believe were performing their civic duty.
Souce: AbuSidiqu
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