Verifying Sowore’s Sureties Illegal, Falana Tells DSS

Constitutional and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has kicked against the move by the Department of State Services (DSS) to verify sureties of Omoyele Sowore.

Sowore has been in detention since August 3 when he was arrested over for a planned #RevolutionNow protest across Nigeria.

A federal high court in Abuja granted him bail, but the DSS has refused to release him.

The secret police said it would not release him until the identities of those who stood as sureties for him are verified.

The DSS said it was following administrative procedures by insisting that Sowore’s sureties come forward for proper documentation.

“We respect rules and orders of the court and there was never a time the Director-General said he would not release Sowore,” DSS had said.

Reacting in a statement, Falana said the court order for Sowore’s release did not authorise the DSS to verify his sureties.

“Pursuant to the verification of the sureties of Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare by the Federal High Court, the trial judge, the Honourable Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu made an order on November 6, 2019 for the release of the defendants from the custody of the DSS,” Falana said.

“The Court Order has not authorised the DSS to approve the sureties before releasing Sowore and Bakare from custody.”