Court Denies Federal Government’s Request To Detain Sowore For 90 Days, Adjourns Ruling To Thursday

A Federal High Court in Abuja, has denied the request of the Federal Government for an ex-parte order to detain for at least 90 days, the convener of RevolutionNow movement and Sahara Reporters publisher, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.

Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the February 2019 general election, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) ahead of the Monday’s #RevolutionNow protest, which he had spearheaded.

The President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration had accused Sowore of committing a treasonable act for calling on Nigerians to pour out on the streets on August 5, 2019, to protest against his government’s failure to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

The FG through the DSS lawyer, G.O. Abadua, appeared before Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Tuesday to move the agency’s ex parte application for detention of the activist for 90 days.

The DSS claimed that the 90-day window would enable it to conclude investigations into acts of terrorism it is accusing Sowore of. After rejecting the application, marked FHC/ABJ/915/19, the judge adjourned ruling till Thursday.

He said the adjournment would afford him the time to watch the video evidence attached to the application by the security agency.