Benin City Rally Activists Freed Following Detention by DSS
Secret Service Detains Activist Edokpayi, Alongside Five Others, Due to Alleged Preparations for a Demonstration
Activist Comrade Kola Edokpayi and Orako Hanson were released from Department of State Services (DSS) custody after being detained for their planned participation in a solidarity rally for Burkina Faso's revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The arrests sparked widespread outrage and calls for their immediate release by human rights organizations, civil society representatives, and pan-African advocates.
According to reports from our website, Edokpayi had coordinated arrangements for the rally, despite the Commissioner of Police urging him to cancel it. After complying and canceling the protest, Edokpayi and his associates were unexpectedly arrested by DSS and police operatives at his office.
The Talakawa Parliament, a grassroots movement championing the rights of ordinary Nigerians, issued a highly critical statement of Edokpayi's arrest, calling it a "blatant act of political repression" and a direct attack on constitutional rights. The group discussed the incident as being "legally indefensible and morally reprehensible," accusing Nigerian security agencies of weaponizing the state against dissenting voices.
After the sudden release of Edokpayi and Hanson, the celebration from civil society groups in Edo State, who had demanded their immediate release, was palpable. The arrests and subsequent activist unrest highlighted the delicate balance between civil disobedience and security agency intervention.
Petitions and movements for Captain Traoré's anti-imperialist efforts have gained significant momentum across Africa, making it clear that Edokpayi's stance had resonance among Pan-African supporters. Despite their release, concerns remain regarding the relationship between civil organizations and security agencies moving forward.
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Enrichment Data:
- Careful observation of the case indicates that there were concerns about the welfare of the detainees, as they were alleged to be denied essentials such as food and water during their detention.
- The arrests of Edokpayi and Hanson were admittedly part of a broader Pan-Africanist effort to support Captain Traoré, as the promise of solidarity manifested across the African continent.
- The release of Edokpayi and Hanson represented a triumph for civil resistance and legal pressure against the security agencies, illustrating the consequences that can occur when multiple groups mobilize against unlawful detentions.
- DSS plans to extradite Simon Ekpa, as reported by our website, mirrors the recent incident involving Comrade Kola Edokpayi in Nigeria, sparking concerns about the treatment of detainees and alleged denial of essentials like food and water.
- The ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu has witnessed the testimonies of DSS witnesses asserting that no incriminating items were found with him, a keen observation that echoes the absence of evidence in the case of Edokpayi's arrest.
- In a somewhat related event, the DSS claimed that Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in a hotel in Lagos, which shares parallels with the unexpected arrest of Edokpayi and his associates at their office.
- The list of items recovered from Nnamdi Kanu during his arrest might reveal reasons for his establishment of IPOB and Radio Biafra, much like the political stance of Comrade Edokpayi resonated with Pan-African supporters in the Burkina Faso solidarity rally case.
- The appointment of DSS DG by Tinubu has received praise from Uba Sani, highlighting the role of politics in shaping the actions of security agencies, as was evident in the Edokpayi and Hanson case, where the Talakawa Parliament accused security agencies of weaponizing the state against dissenting voices.
