Kaduna — Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has sounded the alarm over the arrest of a religious leader who recently hosted him in Kaduna State.
In an early Tuesday post on X (formerly Twitter), Obi revealed that Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar was taken into custody by authorities shortly after hosting him during his visit to Kaduna on Sunday.
“I have just been made aware early this morning that revered religious leader, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, has been arrested by authorities shortly after hosting me in Kaduna on Sunday,” Obi stated.
Obi described the arrest as a “troubling” indication of a deteriorating environment for civil liberties in Nigeria, warning that such developments jeopardize the country’s democratic values.
“This underscores the deeply troubling state of our nation and our democracy, where freedom of speech and movement is increasingly threatened, with citizens and perceived political opponents facing harassment and unnecessary persecution. This cannot be allowed to continue,” he warned.
The former Anambra State governor urged Nigerian authorities to uphold the rule of law and protect fundamental freedoms as essential pillars of democracy.
“This country must defend freedom and free speech, which are the hallmarks of every democratic society. Suppression and intimidation of dissent can never stand in a democratic society, and this Nigerian government must understand this fact,” Obi added.
He also called on all parties who may seek to undermine Nigeria’s fragile democracy to desist and adhere strictly to democratic tenets and the rule of law.
No official statement has yet been made by authorities regarding the reasons or circumstances surrounding Sheikh Umar’s arrest.
