Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has excoriated the Nigeria Police Force and Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun over the continued detention of human rights activist and ex-presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, describing the development as a shameful abuse of power.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Atiku said the unlawful treatment meted out to Mr Sowore was an attack on every Nigerian daring to speak the truth to power.

“The treatment of @YeleSowore by the IGP Monitoring Team is a shameful abuse of power. It is wrong, unlawful, and must be condemned by all who believe in justice,” the politician said.

He added, “Sowore’s only offence is speaking out against injustice, nepotism, and misrule. For that, he was reportedly attacked at dawn, beaten, had his arm broken, and sprayed with chemicals by policemen acting on petitions from the IGP’s own office.”

Mr Atiku said the attack on Mr Sowore was a personal vendetta at variance with the ethics of true policing and the Nigerian constitution.

He demanded that the police release the activist unconditionally.

“This is a personal vendetta, not policing. Even the Nigerian Police Regulation forbids this. Regulation 367 states: ‘No police officer shall institute any legal proceeding in his own personal interest or in connection with matters arising out of his public duties.’

“The IGP cannot be a complainant and still deploy the force to carry out his grievance. This must stop. And Sowore should be released immediately and unconditionally, too,” the former vice president stated.

Mr Sowore was detained at the police headquarters on Wednesday after honouring an invitation for questioning over allegations of forgery and inciting disturbance.

The activist posted a picture of himself on Thursday, accusing the police of breaking his hand while trying to force him out of the cell.

Amnesty International also condemned Mr Sowore’s detention as a flagrant abuse of power, accusing the police of disregarding the law.