Condemnation Trails Arrest of Social Activist, Kola Edokpayi by DSS
The arrest of Comrade Kola Edokpayi, a Marxist activist and leader of the Talakawa Parliament, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Benin City, Edo State, has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from rights groups, civil society actors, and pan-Africanists across the continent.
Edokpayi was arrested on Saturday, May 3, 2025, over a proposed Pan-African solidarity rally in support of Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The rally, which was part of a broader continental mobilisation, aimed to show support for Captain Traoré’s stance against French neo-colonial influence in West Africa.
The Edo State chapter of the Take It Back Movement (TIB) has issued a strongly worded statement, demanding Edokpayi’s immediate and unconditional release. “Comrade Edokpayi was arrested for expressing solidarity with the government of Burkina Faso led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. This blatant act of political repression is not only unlawful but a direct attack on the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens,” the statement read.
The TIB statement, signed by Comrade Hafiz Lawal, the group’s Edo State Coordinator, described the arrest as “legally indefensible and morally reprehensible.” The group accused Nigerian security agencies of weaponising the state against dissenting voices, adding that freedom of thought, expression, and association are guaranteed under Sections 38, 39, and 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
“His show of support for Captain Ibrahim Traoré does not in any way justify his arrest,” the statement insisted. “We demand that the DSS immediately release Comrade Edokpayi and respect the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens to express themselves and associate freely.”
Pan-African activists and supporters of Captain Traoré have also taken to social media to condemn Edokpayi’s arrest. “Arresting Marxist Kola Edokpayi for a proposed solidarity walk in support of Ibrahim Traoré is totally uncalled for,” said one activist. “Pan-Africanism shouldn’t be killed; it’s supposed to be encouraged by all African countries and leaders. I remember Gaddafi, a true Pan-Africanist, who was betrayed by fellow Africans used by Western powers. Kola has done nothing wrong for standing for Africa. He must be released.”
The arrest has also sparked concerns about the growing trend of political repression in Nigeria, with many calling on the government to respect the fundamental rights of citizens to express themselves and associate freely.
