Human rights activists, including former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, are demanding the unconditional release of Inspector Emoruwa Olabode, who is allegedly being detained by police authorities for supporting a welfare protest aimed at improving conditions for officers.
Olabode, attached to the Idanre Police Station in Ondo State, is said to have been detained over a WhatsApp post related to a planned nationwide protest advocating for improved welfare and working conditions within the Nigeria Police Force.
He is reportedly being held over a message he shared in a WhatsApp group for police officers, where he serves as one of the group’s administrators.
The planned protest, scheduled for July 21, 2025, is expected to be a major event, with both serving and retired officers demanding better working conditions, improved welfare packages, and additional benefits.
According to a source, Olabode has been transferred to Abuja following his arrest by police authorities in Ondo State.
Reports indicate that he was arrested on Friday and taken from his station to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Akure, where he was held in solitary confinement.
It was later learned that a team of officers from the office of the Ondo State Commissioner of Police escorted him from the SCID in Akure to Abuja.
The development has sparked concerns among citizens, including Sowore, who are questioning the limits of free speech within the police force.
Meanwhile, police authorities have yet to comment on the matter, leaving many questions unanswered regarding the circumstances surrounding the inspector’s arrest and continued detention.
As the planned protest approaches, it remains to be seen how police leadership will respond to the demands of their personnel, and whether Inspector Olabode’s detention will impact the outcome of the protest.
