TheCable

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has asked Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to secure the release of Omoyele Sowore from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Malami had on Friday taken over Sowore’s case from the DSS, after operatives of the agency broke into a courtroom trying to rearrest Sowore. 

In a letter dated December 13 and addressed to the AGF, Falana said a team of lawyers had visited the DSS to get Sowore released but was advised to go through the AGF. 

“Following the announcement of your decision to take over the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria v Omoyele Sowore & Another, two members of  the legal defence team visited the headquarters of the State Security Service on December 13, 2019 to demand the immediate release of Sowore from illegal custody,” the letter read. 

“Our colleagues were however advised to direct the request to your office in view of the fact that you have taken over the case from the State Security Service.

“In the light of the foregoing, we hereby request you to use your good offices to direct the State Security Service to release Sowore from custody in line with the order of the Federal High court admitting him to bail pending trial. We are confident that you will not hesitate to grant our request as no court has issued any remand order for his detention.” 

Sowore, convener of the RevolutionNow Movement, was arrested in August for planning a nationwide protest. 

Despite court orders granting him bail, the activist was denied freedom. He was briefly released after 124 days in detention but rearrested less than 24 hours after and he has been in DSS custody since then.