Founder of the online news agency, Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore joined the growing list of other Nigerians cooling their feet at the dungeon of the Department of Security Services (SSS). Despite court orders for his release, the powers-that-be have held on to him.
Ekohotblog.com takes a look at events leading to his arrest and the intrigues that followed.
Call For A RevolutionNow Protest
On July 18, during an interview on Arise News, Sowore said that there is a need for another approach because the government has failed. According to him, “Nigeria needs a revolution, not war.”
In another video, also in July, he said, “We don’t want war,” he said in a “We want a very clean, quick, succinct revolutionary process – surgical. That we put an end to the shenanigans of government, that we put an end to oppression, the corruption of government.”
Thus gave birth to the #RevolutionNow protest, scheduled to host on August 5 across Nigeria.
The Arrest
On August 3, in a Gestapo manner, DSS operatives stormed Sowore’s residence in Lagos and arrested him at around 12:25 am.
The human right activist posted on his Twitter handle @12:25 AM “DSS Invades Sowore’s”.
The Outcry and #FreeSoworeProtest
Sowore’s manner of arrest was condemned by prominent individuals, groups and Civil Society Organisations. On August 5, the planned day for the nationwide protest went ahead despite intimidation and harassment from security forces. The protest took place in four states- Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Cross River and Abuja. Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former minister of education and human rights activist, Oby Ezekwesili, Chidi Odinkalu and a host of others all condemned his arrest and demanded his immediate release.
The 45-Day Detention
On August 8, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja granted leave to the DSS to detain the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Mr Omoyele Sowore, for 45 days.
The DSS had earlier filed a request to detain him for a 90 day period pending the conclusion of its investigation.
This came a few days after a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, decided to serve as counsel to Sowore.
The Bogus Charges
On September 20, 45 days after his arrest, the Nigerian government filed additional charges against Sowore, a day before the completion of the initial 45 days the court allowed the DSS to keep him in custody.
The First and Second Bail
On September 24, at the expiration of the 45-day order to hold him, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered the immediate release of Sowore.
The judge ruled that there was no extant order allowing Sowore’s further detention before the court after the expiration of the 45 days it granted DSS to detain him.
“The order of the court has expired. It has not been renewed and cannot be renewed in view of the motion ex-parte earlier withdrawn,” the judge said at that time.
Despite the clear court order to release him, the DSS failed to.
On September 30, Sowore was re-arraigned on a seven-count charge, bordering on treason and cyberstalking President Muhammadu Buhari. Arraigned with him was another activist, Olawala Mandate, who was arrested in Osun State by the DSS.
Sowore pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
On October, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a federal high court sitting in Abuja granted Sowore and Bakare bail under stringent conditions.
An N100million with two sureties in like sum, one of which must have landed property and a deposit of N50 million naira for Sowore. In addition to that, he is not allowed to travel out of Abuja or grant press interviews.
Mr Bakare was also ordered to provide one surety and a bail bond of N50 million with strict orders not to travel out of Osun state.
Sowore Meets Bail Conditions
On November 6, counsel to Sowore, Femi Falana announced in court that his client had met his bail conditions and he should be released.
DSS Talks From Both Sides Of The Mouth
On September 29, justifying its reluctance to release Sowore on bail, the DSS said that they had not received a copy of the court order granting him bail from his legal team. This was countered by Falana, who said he was at their office to issue them the papers but he wasn’t attended to.
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On November 8, the DSS said that there was Sowore was ready to leave but there was nobody to release him to. According to its statement, “It is important that the public notes that since the receipt of the Order, no person has turned up at the DSS to take delivery of him. This becomes imperative for reasons of accountability,”
On Tuesday, November 12, DSS operatives teargassed and opened fire at the protesters, who gathered to demand the release of Sowore. On this day, rights activist, Deji Adeyanju claimed that an unknown person had bribed him with N1million to sabotage the protest. He showed the alleged money given to him to all those present.
The DSS, in another statement on Wednesday, November 13, said that it would only release Sowore to his sureties.
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