Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has alleged attempts on his life by the DSS in the court.
There was a lot of drama on Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja
as the Department of State Services (DSS) rearrested Revolution Now
Convener, Omoyele Sowore, and Olawale Bakare, barely 24 hours after they
were released from custody.
They were rearrested on the grounds on fresh charges being filed against them, it was gathered.
Sowore alleged an attempt was made on his life as men of the DSS put him in a chokehold.
Sowore and Bakare’s appearance in court on Friday was a resumption of
their trial over charges of treasonable felony for organizing the
Revolution Now protest, which the government saw as an attempt to
disrupt peace in the country.
He was arrested on August 3, 2019 and despite a federal high court order
for them to be released on bail, the DSS, who acknowledged receipt of
the order early November, had still kept them in custody, their reason
being that the appropriate sureties had not come for them.
But following an order of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High
Court in Abuja on Thursday, December 5, 2019 that the duo released under
24 hours and a cost of N100, 000 awarded against the DSS, they were
released at about 5pm on the same day.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning, in anticipation of
the continuation of the trial, two groups Concerned Mothers and
Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative protesting for and
against Sowore respectively were at the gate as dozens of armed
policemen tried to maintain order.
There was heavy presence of armed men DSS personnel in the premises of the court.
As the trial resumed, lead counsel for the prosecution, Hassan Limman
SAN, said the following the order of the previous day, they had released
Sowore and Bakare from their custody as well as paid the cost of N100,
000 awarded against them to the defendants through one of their
counsels, Marshall Abubakar.
He had said that by consensus with counsel to the defendants, they had
agreed that the matter be adjourned subject to the convenience of the
court to 11th, 12th and 13th of February 2020for definite hearing.
“Between now and then, what is left, the statement of the witnesses,
which we are yet to furnish the defendants, we ensure we serve them
within a reasonable time because most of the witnesses are out on
official duties,” he had said.
Counsel to the defendants Femi Falana SAN who confirmed the release of
his clients as well receipt of the money, hoped that the defendants
would be allowed to enjoy their freedom as he learnt that new charges
were being filed against them.
He agreed to the dates for adjournment.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had lauded the DSS saying it was obvious they have demonstrated their commitment to the rule of law.
“No one is above the law. Those who are called to govern citizens in
the discharge what is considered to be their statutory duties must at
all times conform with the rule of law. That is the path to greatness.
The DSS has earned themselves the respect of the Nigerian citizens and
all the arms of government,” she had said.
She went ahead to adjourn to the 11th, 12thand 13thof February for definite hearing.
The session was barely over when pandemonium broke out in the court when
operatives of the DSS attempted to arrest Sowore and Bakare as they
were about to leave the courtroom.
The attempt to seize Sowore was resisted by his supporters in the court
who dared the gun-toting security agents as they tried to drag the duo
away.
Sounds of guns cocking and people shouting rent the air in the ensuing
confusion as Sowore was dragged from the hold of the DSS operatives back
into the courtroom by his supporters.
Supporters could be heard shouting, “if you want to shoot, shoot.”
The hostile security agents attempted to bar journalists from entering
the court to witness the development. Some journalists were allegedly
manhandled it was gathered.
Sowore again said they were unaware of any fresh charges and the attempt was a sign of a tyranny of the Federal Government.
“We had concluded the process and when we were leaving, one of the SSS
officers came to me and said we have to come with them and I said we are
still in court and we have been granted bail. It is not even 24 hours
yet. Why can’t you wait and of course, all hell was let loose. They
pulled out their guns within the courts, put me in a chokehold and tried
to kill me inside the court. If it was not for this Nigerians who were
surrounding me, I would probably be dead. We are not aware of why they
are arresting us again. I left them yesterday. I have been there for 126
days, they did not tell me if they were new charges, because these
charges that they filed, they could not sustain it. We have been hearing
that they did not want me to come out but for Nigerians, who massively
engaged within and outside the social media circle to ensure justice is
done.
“What people are saying is that we have a right to live in this country.
We have a right to speak freely and associate and we have demonstrated
that by coming to court. The claim that I would run away if I was
granted bail, I was granted bail last night and I came here voluntarily
accompanied by my lawyer. When we even got outside, they had their own
protesters and I said that is the beauty of democracy.
“Nigerians at this point it is important to let you know that there is
no reason to be afraid. The most powerful tool in the hands of
oppressors is fear mongering. To scare people to thinking, if we do this
to Sowore, nobody else would ever challenge government. I am not new to
this. I was a student leader in the 90s. I fought against the military
rule. I gave fought against successive military and civilian leaders in
this country who have tried to trample on the rights and violate the
integrity and dignity of our people and even their own constitution. The
constitution they drafted ad swore to uphold. I have never been afraid.
“This would require a lot of sacrifices. We have shown the other side of
government you didn’t know that these guys have no pretension for
democracy or respect for human rights. And I am speaking to the rest of
the world as well that it is time to focus on Nigeria. Nigeria has
slipped back into total fascism and we have a tyrannical regime fully
entrenched. Even under the military nobody ever entered a courtroom and
tried to shoot a suspect and scare a judge. This is the first time in
the history of Nigeria that it is happening at the Federal High Court
level.
“Lawlessness we have tolerated over time that has led us to the abyss
that we are in today. Someone has to do it and I have volunteered to do
it. And many of you have volunteered to join me and I am inspired by all
of you. The heroes of today’s temporary relief that I have to speak
with you are the men surrounding me, some of them lawyers, who took of
their gowns and wigs and said no tyranny inside the sacred confines of a
federal high court. So that is the latest for now. I remain unshaken,
unbroken and unbowed,” Sowore said.
After a stand-off of almost two hours, Sowore and Bakare were led out of
the courtroom by his lawyers led by Falana, as well as his supporters
downstairs to the entrance of the court, where armed DSS personnel were
waiting.
Falana, who demanded to know the leader DSS team, told them they could not arrest within the premises of the court.
They moved towards the gate the court, and after some arguments, Sowore
and Bakare were eventually taken to the DSS facility in Falana’s car
driven by a DSS personnel and escorted by several other DSS trucks.
Speaking on the development, Falana said when he saw the anti-Sowore
protesters allegedly sponsored by the government, he carried out some
investigation and while in court, got information that a new charge was
going to be filed and that the Director of the State Security Service
had allegedly ordered that Mr Sowore be abducted in the premises of the
court.
“You will recall the court that the order was obeyed yesterday and that
there are new moves to file a new charge. The prosecution team said in
the open court that no such information was available to them, but here
we are now, the courts is being prevented from carrying out its normal
duty because there was a move to forcefully take them away from the
court. As officers of the court, we are going to take appropriate steps
to challenge the illegal detention of our clients by the DSS.
“I can assure you what is happening now would not go away unchallenged.
We either run this country on the platform of the rule of law or we
resort to gangsterism, which is what is going on, but we are not going
to allow it because we fought against military dictators, including
General Muhammadu Buhari and defeated all of them. Under a
democratically elected government, we are not going to allow anybody no
matter how highly placed to treat the rule of law with disdain. Having
complied with the order of court, what is required is for the DSS to
allow our clients to enjoy their limited freedom because both of them
have been restricted to Abuja and Osogbo respectively. So there is no
basis for this fascist approach,” he said.
A text message sent to the Public Relations Officer of the National
Headquarters of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, for his reaction to the
development was not replied at the time of filing this report.
Source: The Nation
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