A federal high court in Abuja has remanded Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow Movement, in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). T
A federal high court in Abuja has remanded Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow Movement, in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). The activist has been in detention since August 3 when he was arrested in Lagos. A court had earlier granted him bail but the secret police refused to release him.
On Monday, he was arraigned on a 7-count charge of felony brought against him and Olawale Bakare, his co-defendant, by the federal government. The duo pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Olumide Fusika, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sowore’s counsel, had asked the court to allow his client enjoy the bail earlier granted to him. But Ijeoma Ojukwu, the presiding judge, refused, ordering that Sowore and Bakare should return to DSS custody pending Friday when she would hear their application for bail.
Meanwhile, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, revealed that while arrested Boko Haram commanders in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) are allowed to make calls, he has been denied access to telephone. The activist said he was yet to know what charge was brought against him as he had not spoken with his lawyers.
“I am not allowed to see sunshine. I’ve not been outside except today. I am happy people are staying strong. I have no doubt this will come to an end in favour of the Nigerian people. Whether you like it or not, the revolution will happen. It is only a matter of time. They gave me no access to telephone. No TV. No newspapers,” he said.
“What is interesting is that Boko Haram commanders who are engaged in high level terrorism have access to telephone, TV and even cable in their cells. So you wonder which one is better: a freedom fighter or a terrorist.”
He also said he has a bad shoulder following the way he was rough handled when arrested.
Sowore, who was presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 elections, was arrested in Lagos on August 3 ahead of a planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest. The protest, the government said, was aimed at removing the president during his term of office otherwise than by constitutional means.
