I can’t ask DSS to release Sowore – Malami

The Attorney - General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice , Mr. Abubakar Malami , on
Monday, indicated that he could not ask the
Department of State Service to release Omoyele
Sowore from custody .
The minister said in the statement that he could
not take a unilateral decision on the release of
Sowore without recourse to the court, where
the ‘ RevolutionNow ’ protests convener and his
co - defendant , Olawale Bakare, are being
prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony,
among others .
This is contained in a statement by his Special
Assistant on Media and Public Relations , Dr .
Umar Gwandu , who stated that Malami was
reacting to “ the claim that a lawyer sent a
letter to the AGF requesting the release of Mr .
Sowore ” .
The statement appeared to be a veiled reference
to the letter by Sowore ’ s lawyer , Mr . Femi
Falana ( SAN) , sent to the AGF on Friday to
demand the release of the convener of
‘ RevolutionNow ’ protests from the custody of
the DSS.
Falana’ s letter dated December 13 , 2019 ,
reported by The PUNCH on Monday followed the
Friday’ s announcement by the AGF office that
it had taken over the prosecution of the Sahara
Reporters’ publisher and Bakare from the DSS .
The AGF ’ s takeover of the case was informed
by the widely condemned invasion of the
Federal High Court in Abuja by the operatives
of the DSS to rearrest Sowore on December 6.
Falana who heads the defence team of the two
men informed Malami that Sowore had , since
his rearrest on December 6 , been kept in the
DSS custody without the backing of any
detention order of court or arrest warrant .
He stated that his letter became necessary after
two lawyers in the team visited the DSS
headquarters in Abuja to demand Sowore ’ s
release but were advised to direct their request
to Malami .
In a terse statement making a veiled reference
to Falana’ s letter on Monday, Malami said in
the statement issued by Gwandu, “ When
parties submit their issues for determination to
a court of law , they lack exclusivity of decision
over such issues without recourse to the court. ”
“ We remain guided by the established tradition
and will not take unilateral decision without
recourse to the rule of law , ” he added .


The same court, the Federal High Court in
Abuja , where Sowore and Bakare were charged ,
has granted bail to the two of them.
But the order for the release of Sowore was
snubbed by the secret police organisation
whose operatives ’ violently re - arrested him
barely 24 hours of releasing him from detention
that lasted over four months .
The two men were arrested over their call for
‘ RevolutionNow ’ protests with the DSS accusing
them of attempting to overthrow the regime of
the President , Major General Muhammadu
Buhari