A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday declined to order the release of SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and other persons in connection with the August 5, 2019 #RevolutionNow protest.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo said he needed to first hear from the Federal Government, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
He ordered the DSS and IGP to appear before him on September 4 to show cause why Sowore and other protesters in detention should not be released.
The judge also ordered Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, who filed the ex-parte application seeking the detainees’ release, to put the IGP and DSS on notice.
Ogungbeje, who said he participated in the #RevolutionNow protest but was not arrested, prayed the court to declare as “unconstitutional and illegal police clampdown of the protesters and the arrest of Sowore by the DSS.”
Ogungbeje urged the court to order the immediate and unconditional release of those held in connect with the #RevolutionNow protest.
