A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Law and Civil Culture, CLCC, has called on President Muhammad Buhari, to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to ensure the release of Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Service, forthwith.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and jointly signed by the organisation’s Executive Secretary, Mr.Abdulganeey Imran and the Legal Adviser, Deborah Okpanachi, it said: “the continued detention of Sowore by the Department of State Security (DSS) having perfected and fulfilled his bail condition as directed by the Honourable Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, can at best, be described as an affront to the Judiciary and the rule of law.
“The order/directive of any court stands and must be readily obeyed. Disobedience to the order of any court cannot be justified under any circumstance.
“It is imperative to state that section 161 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 gives absolute discretion to Judges to admit any person, depending on the circumstance of the case, to bail, even where capital offence that attracts death penalty is allegedly committed.
“Therefore, having met and fulfilled the bail conditions as stated by the judge, the DSS has no excuse keeping Omoyele Sowore further in its custody.
“It is on this basis that CLCC calls on President Muhammad Buhari, the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice to ensure the DSS releases Omoyele Sowore with immediate effect.”
The organisation also appeals to the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, international organisations and other civil society groups to uphold judicial independence.
It argued that the refusal of DSS and federal government to comply with the directive of the court to release Sowore was a serious threat to the independence of judiciary and an invitation to anarchy.
