45 Days Detention: DSS Challenges Court Order, Insists Sowore Plotted To Topple Govt

The Department of State Services (DSS) has challenged the Federal High Court order, allowing it to detain Mr. Omoyele Sowore, Convener, #RevolutionNow protests, for 45 days against its request of 90 days pending investigation.

The DSS argued that its investigation so far revealed that “RevolutionNow” was allegedly a smokescreen for the actual intention of Sowore and his allies “to topple the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The DSS said it was engaged in a painstaking investigation of activities of Sowore, the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the last presidential election, in view of the quantum of evidence so far gathered and may return to court to seek an extension of the 45 days granted by the Abuja-based court to detain him.

The security agency made this known in a fresh document it filed at the Federal High Court on Monday in response to an application by Sowore.

In the counter-affidavit deposed to by Godwin Agbadua, an official of the DSS, it was stated that Sowore was arrested on reasonable suspicion of having committed a capital offense, upon his alleged involvement in terrorists’ activities.

“The respondent/applicant (Sowore) planned to violently change the government through the hashtag RevolutionNow.

“The respondent/applicant hid under the cover of call for mass protest with the hashtag RevolutionNow to mislead unsuspecting and innocent members of the public into joining him to topple the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“In his plot to topple the government, the respondent/applicant held series of meetings with members at a prescribed terrorists‘ organization, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) with a view to mobilizing strong forces to realize his agenda at changing the government

“The respondent formed an alliance with a fugitive, Nnamdi Keno, a self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed terrorists’ group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to launch series of attacks on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“After series of closed-door meetings between the duo in the United States of America, they addressed a press conference wherein they both stated their resolve to form an alliance against the Nigerian government, the duo stated that they have a well planned out strategy to realize their objective, which is toppling the government.

“The applicant/respondent is investigating the activities of the respondent applicant as it relates to a terrorist organization, IPOB. The facts show a conjecture between the respondent/applicant and IPOB activities.

“There is a need for the applicant/respondent to investigate such reasonable suspicion of the relationship between the respondent/applicant and IPOB.

“The respondent held series of meetings with some foreign collaborators outside Nigeria including Dubai where millions of dollars were given to him to sponsor a widespread attack on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and freeing Ibrahim  ElZakzaky (Sheikh).

“In furtherance to the plans to violently free Elzakzaky from lawful custody. the respondent held several meetings with a proscribed terrorist organization. Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) where they strategized on how to carry out attacks to force the government to free Elzakzaky.

“The respondent stated in one of his videos that Shiite members, who are members of the proscribed terrorists’ group, IMN were going to join forces with him in bringing down the government. The statement and the meetings of the respondent/applicant raise the issue of grave suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorists’ organization, IMN.

“The suspicions require diligent investigation by the applicant/respondent. The planned action constitutes a threat of violence to intimidate or cause panic in members of the public as a means of affecting political conduct

“The investigation is still ongoing. Upon the completion of the investigation, the case file will be forwarded to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for advice and possible prosecution,” DSS alleged. (NAN)