A Federal High Court in Abuja, Thursday, ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to release the detained publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener of #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore within 24 hours.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu also awarded N100, 000 against the DSS for disobeying an order for the release of the activist/citizen journalist.
In her ruling, Justice Ojukwu declared that the Department cannot constitute itself as parallel court.
Sowore and Olawale Bakare, his co-accused, are facing trial on seven counts of treasonable felony, fraud, cyber-stalking and insulting the president.
Sowore was arrested at his Radisson Blue hotel suite on August 3, 2019, and has since been in the custody of the secret service, despite subsisting orders for his release.
The matter climaxed on November 12 when the court issued warned the DSS for not complying with the order.
On Thursday, Sowore’s lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the court that the DSS had consistently denied him access to his client.
Falana asked for an adjournment of the matter to enable him prepare his defence.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned the case till today, Friday, for trial and to check for compliance with the court order.
