Again, DSS refuses to release Sowore after pledging to obey court order

Sowore has been in DSS custody since August, accused of plotting to overthrow Buhari's government.

The Department State Security Service (DSS) has again refused to release convener of #revolutionnow, Omoyele Sowore from its custody even after announcing its readiness to release him.

The DSS had on Friday, November 8, 2019, pledged to release the activist in a statement, saying nobody had come to take him home since it received the court order to release him.

The security agency released the statement two days after a federal judge had signed Sowore‘s release order after meeting his bail conditions.

The statement read in part; “It is important that the public notes that since the receipt of the order, no person has turned up at the DSS to take delivery of him. This becomes imperative for reasons of accountability.

In a bid to establish whether the DSS would fulfil its pledge of releasing Sowore after claiming nobody came to take him home, Premium Times journalists went to the DSS headquarters seeking to take delivery of Sowore as the secret police requested.

On arrival, DSS officials at the front reception told the journalists that there was no one inside the facility that could attend to inquiries concerning Sowore.

Sowore, pictured in court, was a candidate in the 2019 presidential election [PM News] Pulse Nigeria

The online news platform also reports that Peter Afunanya, who signed the DSS statement on Friday was called to facilitate the release of the publisher of Sahara Reports, but did not answer his calls. He also did not answer text messages.

The DSS lawyer in charge of Sowore’s case, Emmanuel David was also called to facilitate the release of the publisher. The lawyer was reported to have said that he could not comment or help in any way on the matter.

Bassey Eteng, the SSS director of operations also declined comment on Sowore’s release.

The publisher has spent over three months in the DSS custody.

Sowore was arrested in Lagos on Saturday, August 3, 2019, at 1 am ahead of his #revolutionnow protest. He was later moved to Abuja, where he is being detained by the DSS.

The publisher however resolved to go on hunger strike since the DSS flouted the court order for his release.