The Nigerian government is yet to release the detained convener of Revolutionnow protest, Omoyele Sowore, despite receiving an affidavit of compliance to the court order directing his release on Wednesday morning.
Marshal Abubakar, a lawyer with the Chambers of Mr Sowore’s lead counsel, Femi Falana disclosed to newsmen on Wednesday night that they left the office of Nigeria’s State Security Service at 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday without Mr Sowore.
This was despite the court order which had instructed an immediate release of the respondent.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported how Mr Sowore’s counsel submitted documents indicating full compliance to the order for Mr Sowore’s release at the SSS office where it was received by an official, Ayuba Adam, at 10.08 a.m on Wednesday.
Following the account of Mr Abubakar who deposed to the affidavit of the compliance, Mr Sowore’s lawyers left the SSS office over 12 hours after fulfilling their end of the September 24 decision of the court, without the SSS doing the same.
Mr Abubakar said the SSS officials asked them to return on Thursday to “discuss with the SSS DG,” Yusuf Bichi.
Recall that the Federal High Court on Tuesday had ordered the immediate release of Omoyele who was arrested on August 3 for planning a revolutionary protest, the #RevolutionNow.
The protest was held in parts of the country amidst clampdown of the protesters by security forces.
On September 20, the government filed seven count charges against Mr Sowore accusing him of alleged treasonable felony, fraud and cyberstalking among others.
After withdrawing an application for Mr Sowore’s bail on Tuesday, the prosecution lawyer, G. A. Agbadua, asked the court to determine whether “in the interest of national security,” Mr Sowore should be granted freedom or not.
The Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari had been condemned for its treatment of Mr Sowore and its disregard to court orders by many, including Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.