Activist Omoyele Sowore has dared the Nigeria Police Force to stop operating like a private army to rich and famous citizens.
This came as Sowore called on judiciary to stop making outrageous rulings on internet speech.
He posted this on X in reaction to singer Adekunle Gold’s attack on former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.
The singer had penned: “Dear God if you give us Dagrin back we will give you Jonathan back. Lol.” ”
Sowore wondered how a singer who enjoyed freedom of expression would turn around to use the police, court and the cybercrime framework against ordinary Nigerians.
He penned: “This was @AdekunleGold back in 2012 openly criticizing then President @GoodluckJonathan. That was free speech and if he’d been arrested for those tweets we’d have been out on the streets demanding his immediate release.
So how does a person who has benefitted from freedom of expression turn around years later to use the police, courts and the brutal cybercrime framework against ordinary Nigerians over online banter and social media exchanges?
“You can’t enjoy free speech when you are powerless and you criminalise it the moment you become powerful.
“Freedom of expression must be for all – whether it is for celebrities, politicians, activists or poor young Nigerians on social media.
“The Nigeria Police Force @PoliceNG need to stop acting as a private army for the rich and famous and the judiciary need to stop giving outrageous punishment over internet speech that should never be criminal matters in the first place.
