Tensions ran high at the *Federal High Court in Abuja* as protesters under the *#EndBadGovernance movement* staged a demonstration demanding the immediate release of activist and journalist *Omoyele Sowore*.
The protest, which took place on *Wednesday, was met with **heavy police presence, prompting accusations of **intimidation and misplaced priorities* by the authorities.
### *Protesters Condemn Police Intimidation*
One of the protesters voiced frustration over the *deployment of security forces* to suppress demonstrations instead of tackling *rising insecurity* in the country.
> “Police officers are here to intimidate protesters. Meanwhile, Abuja is burning. Look at them gathered here instead of being deployed to crime hotspots. This shows the seriousness of this government and the illegal Inspector General of Police, *Kayode Egbetokun*. If he were serious, he would send his men to tackle crime, not to harass peaceful demonstrators,” a protester said.
The demonstrators insisted that *Sowore, who has been detained, should either be **immediately brought before the court* or *released* if no formal charges had been filed against him.
### *Demand for Sowore’s Immediate Release*
Another protester emphasized the violation of Sowore’s *right to liberty*, arguing that his detention without trial was unlawful.
> “What we are asking is that Sowore should be brought before a court now. Stop detaining him and breaching his right to liberty if you have no charges against him. *Free Sowore now!*”
### *Call for an End to Judicial Harassment of Critics*
Beyond Sowore’s case, the protesters also demanded an end to what they described as the *weaponization of the judiciary* against government critics.
> “We are also asking for the *striking out of all cases* against critics of this government. All critics who were unjustly tried in this country should have their cases struck out. The authorities should focus on serious matters instead of chasing trivialities,” another protester declared.
Despite the *heavy security deployment, the protesters **vowed to continue their advocacy* until their demands were met.
This demonstration underscores growing concerns over *human rights violations* and the *suppression of dissent* in Nigeria, as activists and civil society groups continue to call for greater *accountability and justice*.