DSS arraigns Sowore in Federal High Court

The Federal Government has re-arraigned Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), before a Federal High Court in Abuja, a week after a court ordered his release.

Sowore alongside his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, were brought to the court by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

A Federal High Court in Abuja had on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of Sowore due to expiration of the date the detention order he the court issued to the DSS but Sowore was not released.

Sowore was arrested by the DSS Saturday, August 3 for planning a nationwide protest tagged #RevolutionNow.

The Nigerian government filed additional charges against Sowore on Friday, September 20, a day before the completion of the initial 45 days the court allowed the DSS to keep him in custody.

Sowore’s lawyer Femi Falana in an earlier affidavit told the court “that the applicant (Sowore) herein has never been charged with any criminal offence whatsoever” and should be granted bail.

He explained “that the Nigeria police also conducted investigation on the matter and made its findings public” and did not incriminate Sowore as alleged.

Two previous bail applications challenging his detention by DSS had were rejected by the court.

Sowore was charged on offences of treasonable felony, money laundering, terrorism and plots to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.