The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has threatened to commit to prison, the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi following the non-release of Omoyele Sowore.
The continued detention of Sowore despite the court order for his release, the court said, amounted to contempt and attracted jail term.
Sowore who was detained for being behind Revolution Now, a protest against the Federal Government, was ordered to be released by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday.
Two days after the order for his release, the DSS is yet to release Sowore.
Issuing a warning to the director of the security agency on Thursday, the court said the DSS director should comply with the order to release Sowore or face the consequence – imprisonment.
The notice reads:
“Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of the Federal High Court of Justice Abuja delivered on 24 September, 2019, which ordered you to release the applicant in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/915/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.
“This court has been informed that even as at today, Thursday the 26th of September, you are yet to comply with the lawful order of the Federal High Court by refusing to release the applicant namely: Omoyele Sowore, in your custody.
“You are hereby directed to comply with the court order forthwith or you will be guilty of contempt of court.”
