AGF Takes Sowore’s Case From DSS
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) off the trail of the Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore.
The AGF has requested that the case file of the charges pending before the federal high court, Abuja be forwarded to his office.
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A statement from the AGF’s office said the order is part of deliberate effort to probe emerging issues related to the recent controversy surrounding Sowore’s case.
The statement referred to a December 11, 2019 letter sent on behalf of the AGF by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Dayo Apata (SAN), to the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi, directing the security agency to “promptly forward all the case files” to the AGF office.
The letter by Apata, who doubles as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, was a response to a September 9, 2019 letter sent to the AGF.
The statement reads in part, “The Solicitor-General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, who signed the letter, referred to a letter from the DSS office on September 9, 2019.”
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It quoted Apata’s letter as stating that “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).”
The letter requested the Director to “promptly forward all the case
files” in respect of Omoyele Sowore to the office of the
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The statement by the media aide of the minister indicated that the move to take over the case from the DSS was to ensure speedy completion of the case.
Recall that operatives of the secret police were shown in viral video recordings on December 6, making frantic efforts to rearrest Sowore inside the courtroom.
Sowore, who is standing trial for treasonable felony instituted against him by the federal government was released a day before, after the court had given a 24-hour ultimatum for his release. He was first arrested on August 3.
