Sowore’s mother speaks, demands son’s release

The mother of detained rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to obey serial court orders for the release of her son.

Esther Sowore disclosed this in an interview with online Objective Media TV.

She said the continued detention of Mr Sowore has led to her ill-health.

PREMIUM TIMES spoke with family and professional associates of Mr Sowore, who confirmed the elderly lady was the publisher’s mother.

The former presidential candidate was arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) on August 3 ahead of his planned #RevolutionNow protest.

He has remained with the secret police since then despite two different court orders which asked the Nigerian government to release him.

A judge has threatened to jail the SSS boss if he fails to to release Mr Sowore. The SSS, notorious for flouting court orders, has ignored the threat without any presidential reprimand.

Mr Sowore is being tried for treasonable felony, cyber-stalking, fraud and also for “abusing President Buhari.”

‘Heartbroken, traumatised’

Meanwhile, Mr Sowore’s mother in the video said it does not appear that her son will celebrate Christmas with her “which has never been the case in the past.”

Her three-minute appeal is reproduced below:

“Dear SSS, Dear Buhari, I am Yele Sowore’s mother. I am sending you this message as a mother. I am a woman, your mother is a woman, your wife is a woman also. This is December and Yele has been taken away since August.

“He always comes to me in the village every December but you have been holding him. I am a widow, my son has always been like that. He speaks against injustice and stands up against it. He doesn’t run away, he faces his case. Please release him and let him face his case in court. I know him, he can’t run away because he knows he has not committed any crime.

“You are a Muslim, please in the name of Allah, leave my son, release him. I call on all mothers to speak out, let us join voice for the sake of the future of our children.

“Omoyele is only asking for a better Nigeria so that all our children can have good future. My mind is disturbed that he has not been allowed to go for medical care since August. Alhaji Bichi Yusuf, please obey the law since you have gone to court release Omoyele Sowore now.

“Since I gave birth to him, he always speaks against evil. Even in the village, before he went to school in Lagos, he has always been like that. He is not a criminal, release Sowore now. Please release my son because you have your own son, you take care of your son, let me take care of my children.

“I am a widow, release my son. I cannot eat, I cannot sleep and it is affecting my health. Please release Omoyele Sowore, my son. He is not a criminal. Omoyele is not a criminal, leave him.”

Watch video below: