‘Release Sowore or you go to prison’, Falana tells DSS DG

Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked the Department of State Security to release the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, Omoyele Sowore or face the legal consequence of disobeying the court order.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, the Judge, Taiwo Taiwo had ordered the DSS to release the activist from their custody, saying there was no subsisting order keeping him in detention.

However, the DSS is yet to release the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, even though he has been granted bail.

Owing to the non-compliance, Falana, who is Sowore’s counsel said he has gone to court to seek the execution of the order.

The lawyer in a notice said, he has informed the court that failure to release Sowore by the Director General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi would amount to contempt of court.

The notice entitled, ‘Notice of consequences of disobedience to order of court’ read: “Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of the Federal High Court of Justice Abuja delivered on 24 September, 2019, which ordered you to release the applicant in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/915/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.

“This court has been informed that even as at today, Thursday the 26th of September, you are yet to comply with the lawful order of the Federal High Court by refusing to release the applicant namely: Omoyele Sowore, in your custody.

“You are hereby directed to comply with the court order forthwith or you will be guilty of contempt of court.”

Sowore was arrested in the early hours of Saturday, August 3, 2019, after announcing his plan to stage a nationwide protest tagged #RevolutionNow.