“I’ll Fire You That Same Day!” - Sowore Vows to Sack Any Security Chief Who Arrests Nigerians for Criticising Him

Presidential hopeful and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has made a strong promise about freedom of expression, declaring that no Nigerian would be arrested for criticising him if he becomes President. Sowore made the declaration while discussing the powers and responsibilities of the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, arguing that the nation’s security agencies must remain accountable to the civilian authority.

According to Sowore, a President should take responsibility whenever security agencies act outside their mandate. He said:

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. And he is in charge of all of them.”

The activist argued that when security agencies appear to operate beyond their lawful responsibilities, the problem ultimately comes down to the leadership at the top.

“Anytime you see that some of these elements go rogue, it’s because the Commander-in-Chief is no longer commanding as he should,” he said.

Sowore then made a firm pledge about how his administration would handle criticism.

“I will not be President of Nigeria and somebody will go and arrest somebody for criticizing me. It’s not possible. If you do that, I’ll fire you that same day.”

The presidential candidate further promised that his administration would prioritise the protection of Nigerians’ fundamental rights. According to Sowore, security agencies would not be permitted to intimidate, harass or unlawfully arrest citizens simply because they expressed opinions against the President or his government. He insisted that there would be “no room as the President of Nigeria for the violation of fundamental human rights.”

The statement comes amid longstanding debates in Nigeria over freedom of expression, criticism of public officials and the alleged use of security agencies in matters involving government critics.

Sowore also turned his attention to the Department of State Services (DSS) and its handling of court proceedings. He criticised the agency over an alleged refusal to appear before the Federal High Court, questioning how the agency’s Director-General could decide that the DSS would not appear in court without first seeking the court’s permission. According to him, such conduct undermines the authority of the judiciary and demonstrates the level of ridicule to which the judicial system has allegedly been subjected.

His comments have since sparked discussions online, particularly around the responsibility of a President to ensure that Nigeria’s security agencies operate within the law.