Olusegun Adeniyi, chairman of THISDAY editorial board, says the continued detention of Omoyele Sowore, convener of #RevolutionNow movement, despite a court order directing his release is an affront on the rule of law.
Writing via his Twitter handle on Friday, Adeniyi said Sowore had predicted that he wouldn’t be released even if the court grants him bail.
A federal high court in Abuja had directed the secret service to release Sowore who was arrested on August 2 ahead of a nationwide protest he was promoting.
Taiwo Taiwo, the judge, said there was no subsisting order to keep him in detention.
All attempts by Sowore’s defence team to secure Sowore’s release following the court order have not been successful.
Adeniyi said it is shameful that Sowore is still being detained more than 24 hours after his bail conditions were met.
That Sowore is still in detention more than 24 hours after his bail conditions were perfected is a real shame and a serious affront on the rule of law. I hope the authorities will act quickly on the court order. I visited Sowore two weeks ago and sadly, he predicted this scenario
— Olusegun Adeniyi (@Olusegunverdict) September 27, 2019
The DSS says it has not been served the court order directing Sowore’s release.
But Inibehe Effiong, a lawyer who is a part of Sowore’s defence, had told TheCable that DSS agents “chased away” the bailiff and the legal team when they visited the secret service headquarters to serve them the court order on Friday.
Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, did not respond to enquires for comments.
The lawyer also said the DSS evaded getting served with the court order on Thursday and accused the service of showing disregard for the judiciary.
“We went there but they chased everybody away; they were very hostile. We returned a second time and they also chased everybody away,” he had told TheCable.
“This is just persecution; an attempt to silence the man (Sowore). As far as we are concerned, it is an attack on the rule of law.”
