The President of the Niger Delta Congress (NDC) has been arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force in what many see as a deliberate attempt to suppress opposition to the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State.
Sources confirmed that the NDC leader was taken into custody in Port Harcourt on Tuesday and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Rivers State.
TARGETING DISSENT: FROM INVITATION TO ARREST
The arrest followed a police invitation initially sent to NDC Spokesperson Mudiaga Ogboru, who had openly criticized the emergency rule and encouraged the Niger Delta people to exercise their civil rights through protests or other means.
“The police invited our spokesperson over his stance against the emergency rule and his call for peaceful resistance. But instead of waiting for him, they arrested our president,” a source familiar with the situation revealed.
Confirming the development, Ogboru disclosed that he received two separate invitations—one from the Lagos State Police Command and another from the Rivers State Police Command—both concerning the planned protests.
“Since they couldn’t get me, they went after our president in Rivers State,” he stated.
OUTRAGE GROWS: CRACKDOWN ON CIVIL RIGHTS?
The arrest has triggered a wave of condemnation from activists, civil rights organizations, and political analysts, who argue that the government is using force to silence opposition.
Critics view the state of emergency in Rivers as a political maneuver aimed at undermining democracy in the oil-rich region.
“This is nothing more than an attempt to crush dissent and intimidate those who dare to challenge the government’s actions,” said one activist.
With tensions rising and the Niger Delta Congress refusing to back down, the coming days could see a major escalation in the standoff between pro-democracy groups and state authorities.
Will the Nigerian government heed the calls for dialogue, or will it tighten its grip on opposition voices?
