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Sowore: Act Now, Groups Tell Nigerian Judiciary

November 14, 2019

“We are concerned that without earnest action by honourable members of the Body of Benchers against the abominable and adamant refusal of the DSS to comply with court orders, the powers of the judiciary would be permanently eroded.”

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Some civil society groups including the Alliance of Nigerian Students against Neo-liberal Attacks, Take It Back Movement, and Save Climate and Democracy Naija Coalition, have called on the judiciary in Nigeria to take stringent measures regarding the continued illegal detention of activists Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare.

The two men are being held by the Department of State Services despite two court verdicts ordering their release after meeting their bail conditions.

The civil society groups in an open letter to the Nigerian judiciary, said, “We are concerned about the vandalisation of the judiciary by the Department of State Services especially the refusal to release the duo of Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare (Mandate), after Justice ljeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, signed the release warrant following the fulfilment of their ball conditions.

“We are concerned that without earnest action by honourable members of the Body of Benchers against the abominable and adamant refusal of the DSS to comply with court orders, the powers of the judiciary would be permanently eroded.”

Sowore was arrested on August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from the administration of President Buhari.

The government has cooked up frivolous charges against him – among them insulting Buhari and trying to overthrow his administration – claims analysts around the world have described as laughable.