Mr Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, has categorically condemned the arrest of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Umar, saying the development is worrisome and a sign that the country’s democracy is threatened, news.ng reports.
Obi, in a post on X on Tuesday morning, disclosed that Sheikh Umar, although unconfirmed, was arrested shortly after he visited the religious leader in Kaduna over the weekend.
This, according to Obi, a former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, is a disregard for civil liberties and political tolerance, as state actors use security agencies to target political opponents in the country as the 2027 general elections gradually approach.
He said on X, “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.”
According to the Nigerian politician, the arrest of Sheikh Umar shows that the freedom of speech and movement, which should be enjoyed by all citizens in the country, is now threatened due to political division.
He stressed that the growth of democracy will be stunted if the people continue to live in fear and suppression, calling on the authorities to restrain intimidation.
He noted, “This development underscores the deeply troubling state of our nation and our democracy, where freedom of speech and movement is increasingly threatened, and where citizens and perceived political opponents face harassment and unnecessary persecution. This cannot be allowed to continue.
“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.
“I respectfully call on all those bent on undermining our already fragile democracy to please stop and apply the rule of law and tenets of democracy in dealing with citizens.”
