The Department of State Services (DSS) has alleged that the Convener of #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore, who is still in their custody, has been making calls to mobilise people for violence and take action against Nigeria, The Nation reports.
Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson of the DSS, confirmed that the secret security agency received the court order to release Sowore, but that it needed proper documentation to his sureties.
According to him, operatives of the DSS have received death threats following Sowore’s detention. He added that the DSS provides Sowore with all that he needs in detention.
“He has been using his phone and making contacts and even using it to mobilise people and call for violence and call for action against the Nigerian state and call for the destruction of the Nigerian entity,” Afunanya said.
He added that the DSS cannot release Sowore to protesters, who were led by another activist, Deji Adeyanju, to the office of the security outfit. Afunanya further argued that Sowore could get into danger if released without special consideration for those who he would be handed to.
He said, “We have to carry out our duties and will continue to do so in honour and good conscience, despite deliberate efforts to harass and intimidate us. The issue of human rights in the last one week, the custody of suspects and all of that have been in the front burner.
“We have issued statements in the past week and the statements have been unambiguous. They were straight, direct and plain. At all times, we were explaining our stance on issues, that he was granted bail by the courts. We said yes, we have received the court order. Now, every legislative enactment and judicial pronouncement needs to be enforced. They need to be enforced, and that is why there are law enforcement agencies’ operatives.
“If Sowore was granted bail and was in our custody and we told him that he had been granted bail, now do we bring Sowore to the gate and ask him to go? Is it a discharge of responsibility that we do that? What if Sowore was going on the road and was knocked down by a car? We said people who should take Sowore through proper documentation had not come and up till now they have not come…”.