Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has that it is an insult for the Department of State Services to say that it did not receive copies of a Federal High Court order directing it to immediately release pro-democracy campaigner and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore.
Responding to a statement credited to the spokesperson for the DSS, Dr Peter Afunnaya, Falana said the DSS’s position suggests that it is not ceased of the facts in the courts order.
“First of all, their lawyer was in court. And he heard the order when it was made. As a legal practitioner, he had an obligation to inform his client. Secondly, since Sowore was to be released to me, I have been going to the SSS office personally since Tuesday.
“We were not directed to serve them. But we did that for the avoidance of doubt. We submitted his passports, got the affidavit of compliance and I personally served them. I also sent the copies to the SSS DG through his phone line, because I have his personal phone line.
“We were there for hours. The head of the legal department pleaded with me to return today (Thursday). When I returned, they locked the SSS gates against me,” Falana said.
The lawyer added that the information indicating compliance had been reported in both local and international media stressing that the least a truly law abiding institution would do in such circumstance was to send its lawyers to verify the reports.
“I’m not sure the person who is making this statement has the authorisation of his principals. We have filed the form 48 regarding the contempt of court. And in that form, the court order was also included.
“The SSS has a duty to comply with this order and not only this one, but every other order regarding the liberty of Nigerians, because this is a constitutional democracy,” Falana said.
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