The Obidient Movement has threatened to mobilize its supporters for wider protests across Nigeria following the arrest of its Akwa Ibom State Coordinator, Dr. Ben Smith, the State Coordinator of the OK Movement, Mr. Elijah Noah, and other members during a peaceful march.
In a statement signed by its Media and Communications Directorate, Mr. Onyeka Dike, on Friday, the movement described the arrests as an attack on democratic rights and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of those in custody.
The group accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Akwa Ibom State Police Command of using the police to intimidate opposition voices. It warned that continued harassment of its members could heighten public anger and lead to protests beyond Akwa Ibom State.
According to the statement, the arrests were particularly concerning because the affected individuals were participating in what the movement described as a peaceful assembly.
“It is deeply disturbing that in a democratic society, citizens exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly should be met with police intimidation, harassment and arrest,” the statement said.
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“This brazen attack on the fundamental rights of citizens is a dangerous assault on democracy and an unacceptable attempt to suppress legitimate political expression.”
The movement alleged that the police response to the march was heavy-handed, insisting that its members had committed no offence by identifying with the Obidient Movement and participating in a peaceful gathering.
It also accused the police of allowing itself to be used for what it described as political persecution by the APC, alleging that the force was being deployed to suppress opposition voices.
The movement said it remained committed to peaceful political expression but warned that its restraint should not be mistaken for surrender.
“If citizens can no longer assemble peacefully, express their grievances or demonstrate their political convictions without fear of arrest, then our democracy has been officially suspended,” it stated.
The group called for an immediate end to what it described as intimidation and harassment of its members and other opposition groups, insisting that the right to peaceful assembly and protest should be respected regardless of political affiliation.
It further warned that failure by the authorities to address the arrests and release those detained could result in wider mobilization across the country.
The allegations contained in the statement represent the position of the Obidient Movement. The circumstances surrounding the arrests and the response of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command would provide further context to the development.
