DSS: Sowore Instigating Violence from Detention

Insists only sowore’s sureties can secure his release Falana: DSS still flouting court orders

The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday alleged that the detained Convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, was mobilising violence against the state from detention.

It said Sowore was making calls to mobilise violent action against the state.

DSS also maintained its line of argument that only Sowore’s sureties would secure his release.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Spokesman of the commission, Peter Afunanya, said the appropriate persons have not come for his release.

Afunanya said so far only protesters have come for his release.

He stated that only when administrative procedures were fulfilled would the commission effect his release.

Afunanya said Sowore’s lawyer, Femi Falana, had not been to the DSS office or being in touch with them since the issue of the bail started.

But THISDAY ran into the counsel to Sowore, Femi Falana (SAN) at the premises of DSS soon after the press briefing.

He told THISDAY that the DSS has refused to obey several court orders for Sowore’s release.

The human rights activist showed THISDAY a copy of a court order which he said DSS has flouted.

“I am here to see my client. This is a court order. If they say a car will knock him (Sowore) down, look at my vehicle parked right here (DSS premises),” he said.

However, Afunanya argued “there is nothing that Sowore needs that we do not provide him. He has been using his phone and making contacts and even using it to mobilise people and call for violence and call for action against the Nigerian state, and call for destruction of the Nigerian entity.

“When you throw a stone in the market place, you sure would not know on whose head it would land. Sowore has family members in Nigeria who go to local markets; he has relatives. He has uncles and sisters. If you set a fire, of course, you may not know who will get the burnt,” Afunanya said.

Afunanya insisted that those who should come for proper documentation have not come.

“If Sowore was granted bail and was in our custody and we said yes you have been granted bail, now do we bring Sowore at the gate and ask him to go?

“Is it a discharge of responsibility that we do that?

What if Sowore was going on the road and was knocked down by a car. We said people who should take Sowore through proper documentation had not come and up till now they have not come”, he said.

DSS said it was receiving threats against its operatives and denied using live ammunition against protesters seeking the release of Sowore.

“Rather what some experienced persons, people who ordinarily should be respected, came out to say that some people came and did not see us, and we said this and that.

“That is not true. Miscreants, protesters and some people who were not parties, unqualified to stand and document properly and take responsibility that Sowore had been released to them, those were the kinds of person we saw”, he said.