Unlawful detention: Sowore seeks N500m damage against DSS

The convener of #RevolutionNow protest and presidential candidate of African Action Alliance (AAA), Omoyele Sowore, has dragged his detainer, the Department of State Security Service (DSS), to court seeking an order for an award of N500 million as a damage for his unlawful detention.

Sowore has been in custody of the DSS following his arrest on August 3. The plaintiff in a suit marked FHC/ABJ /C51409/2019 dated November 20 and filed on his behalf by Femi Falana (SAN), is seeking to enforce his fundamental human rights as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

265 Enugu residents benefit from Nigerian Army medical outreach Recall that the Federal Government had after Sowore’s arrest arraigned him before the Federal High Court Abuja on six-count charge for treasonable felony.

Though, the trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja granted the defendant N100m bail with other stringent conditions and later varied the bail conditions which allowed the defendant to perfect it, the DSS still held Sowore in custody on the ground that they have not seen the approximate person to release him to.

The plaintiff said in the suit that DSS refusal to comply with the order of the court meant he is being held in illegal captivity by state agents. Sowore was arrested in August for planning a nationwide protest he labelled ‘RevolutionNow’.

The Buhari administration said the planned demonstration was a treasonable act because it was aimed at fomenting a regime change.

He denied the allegations, saying his campaign was to mobilise teeming Nigerian youth to denounce poverty, insecurity and other national challenges assailing the country.

Sowore is seeking among others in the suit: “A declaration that the detention of the applicant from November 7, 2019 till date in violation of the order for his release made on November 6, 2019 is illegal as it violates his fundamental right to liberty guaranteed by Section 35 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 6 of African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“An order of this court compelling the respondents to pay to the applicant the sum of N500,000, 000, 00 ( Five hundred million naira) as general and aggravated damages for the illegal violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to life, dignity of his person, fair hearing, health, freedom of movement and freedom of association.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further violating the applicant’s fundamental rights in any manner whatsoever and however without lawful justification.”