Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized Bola Tinubu’s government over the legal actions taken against Omoyele Sowore, the founder of Sahara Reporters. Atiku accused the administration of suppressing opposition through unfounded charges.

Sowore was brought before the court on Wednesday to face 16 charges, including allegations of cybercrime. One of the charges alleged that he referred to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, as an “illegal IG.”

Atiku also highlighted the arrest of Professor Usman Yusuf, a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), as another instance of “harassment and intimidation” aimed at silencing dissenters.

On January 28, 2025, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Professor Yusuf over allegations of fraud involving N4 billion and other accusations.

In a statement shared via his official X account, Atiku expressed concern that Tinubu’s administration might soon target everyone critical of its policies. He labeled Sowore’s charges baseless and accused the government of cracking down on opposition voices.

Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 elections, said, “I earlier warned that Tinubu and the APC are working systematically to harass and intimidate the opposition, aiming for a one-party rule. That warning has made me a target of their attacks.”

He added, “The arrest and baseless charges against @YeleSowore are just another example. Now, they’ve added Professor Usman Yusuf, another outspoken critic, to their list. If this continues, they may eventually jail all of us.”