Finally, Sowore and Dasuki regain freedom, leave DSS custody

It is freedom at last for Omoyele Sowore as he departs the office of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Abuja. The convener of #RevolutionNow protests regained his freedom from the DSS custody on the directive of the Federal Government.

He was released moments after the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, ordered the DSS to release Sowore. Malami explained that the decision to release them was in compliance with the bail granted the two by the court.

Sowore was received by a group of supporters and one Abubakar Marshal, a lawyer from the chambers of Femi Falana. As he departed from the DSS office, the activist chanted ‘revolution now and forever’, and wished Nigerians a Merry Christmas.

Also, the Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has regained his freedom after spending more than four years in detention. Dasuki was released by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday in Abuja, following the directive of the Federal Government.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and lawyer to the former NSA, Ahmed Raji, confirmed the release of his client. He thanked the AGF for ordering the DSS to comply with the various court orders granting bail to Dasuki.

Dasuki was arrested in December 2015 over an allegation of diverting $2.1billion arms funds while serving as the National Security Adviser during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He was arraigned in court and was granted bail with certain conditions but the Federal Government refused to release him in disobedience to the court order.

On July 14, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the continued detention of the former NSA since December 29^th 2015 by the DSS as illegal unlawful, and unconstitutional. The appellate court held that the DSS and its Director-General acted outside their constitutional powers on the long period of the detention of a Nigerian citizen and imposed a fine of N5 million on them to be paid to Dasuki as compensation for breach of his fundamental right.

Four months later and in view of his continued detention, the Court of Appeal varied the terms attached to the bail earlier granted the former NSA. It expunged the requirement that Dasuki should produce a Level 16 civil servant who must own a property worth N100million within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as surety. Rather, the court ordered that the former NSA produce two sureties with property worth N100 million within the FCT.

Sowore on his part was taken into custody since August 2019. The activist was arraigned along with his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, on counts bordering on treasonable felony and money laundering among others but they denied the charges. Both men were also held by the security agency despite the order of the court granting them bail, but the DSS insisted that it did not disobey the court.

Sowore and Bakare were later released on December 5, but Sowore was rearrested.

Both men would celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.