A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday threatened to jail the Director of the Department of State Service (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, if he failed to release Mr. Omoyele Sowore without further delay.
The judge gave the order following a contempt of court charge instituted against the Federal Government and the DSS Director having failed to release Sowore four days after an order was issued for the immediate release of the activist.
It would be recalled that Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the release of Sowore, after an earlier order to detain him for 45 days had expired on September 21.
Sowore, the Convener of Coalition for Revolution (CORE), and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), was arrested on August 3, 2019, three days to the planned August 5 nationwide protests for a better Nigeria.
The court gave the warning on Thursday in response to the failure of the DSS to release the detained publisher of Sahara Reporters, Sowore.
The warning was also based on an application by Sowore’s lawyers led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana.
A copy of the court order dated September 26 said the DSS must release Mr. Sowore as directed by the court, or it would be guilty of contempt and liable to be committed to prison.
The document stated: “Take notice that unless you obey the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division delivered on September 24, which ordered you to release the applicant, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
The Federal High Court had ordered the immediate release of Mr Sowore from prison on Tuesday after ruling that there was no longer a valid reason to continue detaining the respondent.
Femi Adeyeye, Media Director of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE), who spoke to newsmen on Thursday evening, disclosed that the DSS had continued to hold on to the activist cum politician, inspite of efforts being made by Mr. Falana (SAN).
Adeyeye said: “The DSS has refused to release Sowore after the bail condition had been met, which included the submission of his international passport.
“His lawyer, Femi Falana, just left the DSS Headquarters. The officers claim they were awaiting ‘orders from above.”
Also contacted, Olaseni Ajai, CORE Co-convener, told newsment that the group had been awaiting Sowore’s release to no avail.
He maintained that it had become doubtful if the Federal Government really wanted to release Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.
