Court to rule today on DSS request to detain Sowore

Omoyele Sowore
Omoyele Sowore

A Federal High Court in Abuja will on Thursday (today) rule on an application of the Department of State Service (DSS) to detain a former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, for 90 days.

The DSS had on Tuesday applied to the court for an order to keep the Sahara Reporters publisher pending the conclusion of its investigation.

Justice Taiwo had adjourned ruling till Thursday after hearing the application marked FHC/ABJ/915/19.

He said the adjournment would afford him the time to watch the video evidence attached to the application by the security agency.

Mr Sowore, 48, was arrested last Saturday by DSS operatives ahead of Monday’s #RevolutionNow protest, which he had spearheaded.

He was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the February 2019 general election.

Among those who have spoken in Sowore’s favour is human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said in a release: “The State Security Service should release Mr Omoyele Sowore, one of the conveners of the protests.

“In the alternative, he should be arraigned in court if there is reasonable suspicion that he has contravened any penal statute.”