Officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) have detained Marxist activist and leader of the Talakawa Parliament, Comrade Kola Edokpayi, in Benin City, Edo State, over the alleged connection with a proposed Pan-African solidarity rally aimed at supporting Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Naija News reports that the arrest, which occurred on Saturday, May 3, 2025, has incited significant backlash from human rights organizations, civil society representatives, and pan-African advocates throughout the continent, who have condemned it as a clear instance of political oppression and a violation of fundamental rights.
The rally, as stated by its organisers, was intended to be part of a larger continental effort to back Captain Traoré’s resolute opposition to French neo-colonial influence in West Africa, with similar events planned in nations such as Ghana and South Africa.
A source close to Edokpayi shared details regarding the circumstances of his arrest with SaharaReporters.
“He made arrangements for a solidarity rally. The Commissioner of Police called him a day before the rally and held a meeting with him to call it off. He complied and dispatched people to cancel the protest. But DSS and police operatives later stormed his office, broke in, and arrested about six people. Four were released, but they detained him and one other member,” the source told reporters.
Confirming the development, the Edo State chapter of the Take It Back Movement (TIB) 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.
“He has consistently mobilised the masses under the platform of the Talakawa Parliament, a grassroots movement that champions the rights of ordinary Nigerians against elite exploitation,” TIB warned.
In a statement made available to journalists, the Edo State Coordinator of the TIB, Comrade Hafiz Lawal, described the arrest as “legally indefensible and morally reprehensible,” accusing Nigerian security agencies of weaponising the state against dissenting voices.
“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 group insisted.
Furthermore, the one Pan-African activist stated: “Arresting Marxist Kola Edokpayi for a proposed solidarity walk in support of Ibrahim Traoré is totally uncalled for. 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.”