A coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Edo state, has expressed concerned over the Department of State Security (DSS), continued detention of two human rights activists, Kola Edokpayi and Hadson Oracle.
The two men were taken into custody on April 30th for allegedly plotting solidarity rally for Ibrahim Traore, the president of Burkina Faso who took control of Burkina Faso in 2022 in a coup d’état.
The civil society groups in peaceful protest Monday, said the detained activists had called-off the planned solidarity rally a day before they were picked up.
The group in a statement signed by its legal adviser, Abraham Oviawe and spokesperson, Rev. David Ugolor, expressed concern about the implications of the development on the longstanding and collaborative relationship with the DSS.
The statement noted that the continued detention of the activists may exceed the period permissible under the law and demanded for their immediate release.