The Center for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has dealt a blow to the Directorate of State Security, DSS, for re-arresting Omoyele Sowore and Adebayo Bakare, alias Mandate.
The duo had been on trial for felony treason under the hashtag #RevolutionNow since August 3, inside the courthouse today.
Debo Adeniran, president of CACOL, in a press release said that “it was a moment of applause and praise for the judiciary and the DSS itself when the leadership hierarchy of the secret Police finally agreed to the 24-hour ultimatum given to them by the Judge Ojukwu of the Federal Supreme Court, Abuja, yesterday.
We all sighed in relief that the security team was finally convinced of the need to act within the dictates and orders of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and other laws of the country, only for us to learn of their command. such as the new detention after physical and occasional attacks on the couple that involve weapons and ammunition, rough treatment, etc., within the judicial compound, in contravention of the norms and practices in a democratic environment.
From the video clip of the unfortunate incident in court today, it was clear that had it not been for the timely and courteous intervention of the journalists and legal professionals involved, including his lawyer, Barrister Femi Falana, SAN, who later warned about the implications of the DSS’s insistence on desecrating the known principles and ethos of democratic practice, by forcibly seizing and removing the duo from the court premises, one could not imagine the extent of the senseless violence and the likely loss of lives that could have taken place even in the full glare of the national and international media. Apparently, this is not the kind of accolades that any responsible and dignified security agency should attract for itself and the country’s leadership, even under a dictatorship.”
The head of CACOL went further: “As a responsible organization of civil society, we reiterate our calls for the state security apparatuses to be more circumspect and aware of the democratic requirements under a civilian government so as not to scare away foreigners and put in jeopardize our investment portfolio.” or precipitate the breakdown of law and order in such a way that the sovereignty and survival of the nation itself is threatened.
Even if DSS had cause to bring new or additional charges against the defendant, either before the same judge or another court of competent jurisdiction, this would have been done in the knowledge of known procedures that would not precipitate the violation of law and order. .
We therefore call for the immediate and unconditional release of the defendants themselves, as nothing has proven that they are a convincing threat to the continued survival and peaceful coexistence of the Nigerian nation, while perennial conflict issues are objectively investigated to Let the nation make its decisions. rightful place in the committee of nations.
