Nigeria Lacks Commander-In-Chief; Secret Police, DSS Operatives Were Busy Watching Big Brother Naija While I Was Illegally Detained In 2019 – Sowore

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November 13, 2022
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Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria’s President but many Nigerians have described him as inept and incompetent as the commander-in-chief.

Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) for the 2023 general elections, says Nigeria currently doesn’t have a commander-in-chief.

Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria’s President but many Nigerians have described him as inept and incompetent as the commander-in-chief.

Sowore disclosed this on Sunday at the Town hall meeting series two organised for some candidates gunning for the presidency.

 

The event was put together by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in collaboration with ARISE Television.

 

Other candidates in attendance are Yabagi Sani, Action Democratic Party; Peter Umeadi, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Adewole Adebayo, Social Democratic Party.

 

According to Sowore, if he had been voted into power in 2019, there would have been no complaints about security in the country.

 

The activist highlighted that there cannot be peace or security where poverty is widespread and where there is no justice and social protection.

 

He added that when he was detained by the Department of State Services (DSS), the officers of the secret police who should be busy gathering intelligence, were busy watching Big Brother Naija, a reality TV show in their office.

 

“We don't have a commander-in-chief. We have a rogue system where everyone is doing what they like.

 

“To collect intelligence, you must have intelligent people. When I was detained in DSS for five months, DSS officials were busy watching BBNaija,” he said.

 

The DSS arrested Sowore on August 2, 2019, and despite being granted bail by different courts, the agency failed to release the activist.

BREAKING: Federal High Court in Abuja Declares 2019 Arrest, Detention Of Sowore Illegal, Award Damages Against Lawless DSS

Mar 21, 2022
BREAKING: Federal High Court in Abuja Declares 2019 Arrest, Detention Of Sowore Illegal, Award Damages Against Lawless DSS

The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation subsequently charged him and Olawale Bakare, who was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State, in connection to the protest, with treasonable felony, among other offences.

 

The prosecution accused them of planning to topple Buhari’s government.

Despite the trial court granting fresh bail to Sowore, the DSS still refused to release him until the government eventually bowed to local and international pressure in December 2019.

Since his release, Sowore has continued to organise protests against the Buhari administration and has on different occasions been arrested, manhandled or detained for doing so.