Luqman lamented the rate at which the security agency disregards the rule of law, saying it is becoming “worrisome, scary and unhealthy”.
The Initiative for Citizens’ Rights, Accountability and Development has said that the Department of State Services must begin to obey court orders otherwise there will be anarchy.
The organisation, through its Executive Director, Hassan Luqman, said this in a press statement.
Luqman lamented the rate at which the security agency disregards the rule of law, saying it is becoming “worrisome, scary and unhealthy”.
He said, “Rights to liberty and dignity of human persons are superior rights. They cannot be taken for granted by any arm of government or their agencies. Even the holder of such rights cannot sign them away as they are inalienable.
“It is, therefore, worrisome, scary and unhealthy, the rate at which the DSS is disobeying and disregarding these rights.
“Once there is a valid order of the court, it must be obeyed. Otherwise, there will be anarchy.
“The DSS had the opportunity of telling the court why Sowore should not be released.
“But the court, rightly so, thought otherwise after considering the strength of the cases of both Sowore and the DSS.
“After all, the most imperative consideration the court is expected to have in an application for bail is the availability of the applicant to face trial.
“The case of Omoyele Sowore is a clear example of abuse of power, disregard for rule of law and desecration of the sacred temple of justice.
“As if DSS has not done enough by its flagrant disobedience of court orders; the agency sunk to new low when contrary to all known civility, desecrated the temple of justice by rough-handling Sowore inside the courtroom in the glare of the public while the latter was granting press interview after his arraignment on September 30, 2019.
“Even if the DSS and its operatives think and behave like slave masters and see all of us as slaves and conquered people, they ought to exercise restraint in the face of the world.
“They ought to be wary of the image they give out about Nigeria and its human rights credentials.”
Sowore has been in DSS detention since August 3, 2019 when he was arrested in Lagos for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to express their displeasure at the poor state of governance in the country.
He was granted bail by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 30 but the DSS refused to release him.
On Monday, he was arraigned before the same court but taken back to the DSS facility until Friday for his bail hearing.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the same court granted him bail on Friday under very stringent conditions.
Sowore remains with the DSS pending the fulfilment of his bail condition.