Sowore: AGF Orders DSS To Handover Case File To Justice Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Justice is to take over the prosecution of civil rights activist, Omoyele Sowore from the Department of State Services, DSS, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN directed on Friday.

A statement from the minister’s media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu revealed that the directive followed a letter to the DSS by the minister in which he directed the DSS to handover all issues concerning the prosecution of the civil rights activist to the ministry.

The statement revealed that the directive was in line with Sections 150(1) and 174 (1) (a-c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“As part of deliberate efforts to probe emerging issues related to the recent imbroglio related to Omoyele Sowore’s case and for speedy dispensation of justice, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has requested that the case file in respect of charge pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja be forwarded to his office,” the media aide revealed.

In the letter to the DSS dated December 11, 2019 and signed by the Solicitor General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, it was said:

“The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice upon a further review of the case has  directed the immediate takeover of the prosecution of all charges in respect of Omoyole Sowore by the Federal Ministry of Justice in line with the provisions of Sections 150(1) and 174 (1) (a-c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)”.

Sowore was apprehended by the DSS in the wake of his plans to organize rallies across the country to protest what he claimed as bad governance by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Court orders for his release went unheeded until Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu last week gave the DSS 24 hours to release him.

The DSS promptly released him but arrested him the following day after an appearance in Justice Ojukwu’s court prompting nationwide indignation of the disrespect of the rule of law.

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