Sowore made the statement during a brief interaction with protesters and members of the media on Friday. The police had led both parties to meet with the activist, seemingly in an effort to counter growing concerns about his welfare in custody.
Speaking from detention, Sowore revealed that one of his hands had been broken during his arrest and that he had not received proper medical attention since then.
“I’ve been expecting this nonsense from them since I was brought here yesterday at 6 a.m. They came here and I know that the next thing they will do is to try and bring the press to create the impression that I’m doing fine,” he said while showing his bandaged hand.
This comes in contrast to the earlier claim made by Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Shogunle, who assured protesters that Sowore was being treated well and had not been brutalised.
Shogunle also disclosed that the activist was being held due to his alleged refusal to make a statementto the police.
However, Sowore insisted that his detention was politically motivated and lacked legal justification.
“There is no basis for my arrest in the first place. There is no basis for any citizen in Nigeria to be arrested because the Inspector General of Police feels threatened by lawful opposition,” he said.
He further criticised the police for attempting to cover up his injury rather than seeking appropriate medical attention.
“Since I came here yesterday, they broke my hand. They have not brought a doctor—only a nurse. Instead of providing medical help, they brought the media. I was expecting it,” he stated during a live stream shared by Sahara Reporters on Facebook.
Sowore was arrested on Wednesday after honouring an invitation by the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit over petitions reportedly involving allegations of forgery of a police document and cyberbullying.
The development has sparked protests across several states, including Lagos, Oyo, Osun, and Abuja, where supporters of the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) are demanding his immediate release and access to medical treatment.
Rights groups and civil society organisations have also condemned the arrest, calling it a setback to freedom of expression and the right to lawful opposition in a democratic society.
