Nigeria Secret Police Blocks Court Bailiff From Serving Sowore Court Release Order

Nigeria secret police, the Department of State Service (DSS) twice on Friday blocked a bailiff of the Federal High Court in Abuja from effecting a fresh service of the court order for the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest Omowole Sowore.

It was learnt that the bailiff first arrived the DSS headquarters in Abuja, where he (Sowore) had been held since August 3, 2019, around 9.30 a.m. on Friday, but was asked to return by 12 noon when the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi, would be around.
But it was learnt that the bailiff returned to the DSS headquarters at 12.14 p.m. on Friday, but was denied access.
One of Sowore’s lawyer, Sam Ogala, who was at the main gate of the DSS office during the bailiff’s attempt to serve the security agency, confirmed the development to our correspondent.
Sowore’s legal team led by Femi Falana, had on Thursday expressed shock over DSS’ claim that it had not been served with the order issued by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja granting bail to Sowore.
On Thursday, after DSS’ spokesperson denied that the agency had been served with the court order, Falana said, Ayuba Adam of the Legal Department of the DSS received the court order on behalf of the agency on September 24, 2019 (Tuesday).
The DSS’ denial came after news broke that Sowore’s legal team had commenced a contempt suit against the DSS boss for failing to comply with the court order for Sowore’s release.
The DSS, on August 3, arrested Sowore, the publisher of SaharaReporters and former presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections over his call for a revolution protest scheduled to hold on August 5.
Justice Taiwo, on August 8, granted an ex parte application by the DSS permitting the security agency to keep the activist for 45 days.
The 45 days period expired on Saturday.
Barely 24 hours to the expiration of the 45-day detention order, the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office filed charges of treasonable felony, cybercrime offences and money laundering against him before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On Tuesday, following Falana’s application, Justice Taiwo ordered the release of Sowore, from the custody of the DSS pending his arraignment in court.
The judge ordered him to submit his passport in the court’s registry as the sole condition for the bail.
Sowore’s lawyers have said that the terms of his bail have since been fulfilled, however, he has yet to be released.