Sowore: Falana Tells AGF Malami To Release Activist From DSS Custody

Femi Falana (SAN) has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to release Omoyele Sowore from the custody of the DSS.

Naija News reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) had released Sowore and co-defendant Olawale Bakare after spending 124 days in detention.

This was following Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu’s ruling ordering DSS to release him in the next 24 hours.

However, the secret police re-arrested Sowore in the premises of the Federal High court, Abuja and reportedly took the activist to the DSS headquarters.

The DSS later denied reports that its operatives invaded the courtroom to arrest Sowore.

The rearrest of the activist drew widespread condemnations both locally and internationally.

Following pressure from the international community, AGF Malami directed the DSS to transfer Sowore’s case file to his office.

Naija News understands the directive was contained in a letter dated 11th December 2019 and addressed to the Director-General of the State Security Services, National Headquarters Abuja.

However, Falana revealed that when two lawyers in Sowore’s defence team visited the DSS headquarters in Abuja to demand the activist release, the secret police advised them to direct their request to Malami.

Falana made this disclosure in a letter to the AGF dated December 13, 2019 and made available to journalists on Sunday.

The letter titled, ‘Request for the release of Omoyele Sowore from illegal custody’, read, in part, “Following the announcement of your decision to take over the case of the Federal Republic of Nigeria V Omoyele Sowore and another, two members of the legal defence team visited the headquarters of the State Security Service on December 13, 2019 to demand the immediate release of Sowore from illegal custody.

“Our colleagues were however advised to direct the request to your office in view of the fact that you have taken over the case from the State Security Service.

“In the light of the foregoing, we hereby request you to use your good offices to direct the State Security Service to release Sowore from custody in line with the order of the Federal High Court admitting him to bail pending trial. We are confident that you will not hesitate to grant our request as no court has issued any remand order for his detention.”