The Department of State Services (DSS), has confirmed receiving the court order on the release of Omoyele Sowore, convener of the Revolution Now movement.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had granted him bail but after fulfilling the conditions of the bail, the secret police did not allow him leave its custody.
In a statement on Friday, Peter Afunanya, spokesman of the DSS, said while the agency has received the order, no one has visited the DSS to take delivery on the activist.
“The DSS wishes to confirm that it has received the court order for the release of Omoyele Sowore,” the statement read.
“It is important that the public notes that since the receipt of the Order, no person has turned up at the DSS to take delivery of him. This becomes imperative for reasons of accountability.
“However, the Court has been properly briefed on this development and the steps being taken to ensure compliance with its Order.
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Friday, faulted the claim by the DSS authorities that they were still holding Sowore and Olawale Bakare because none of their lawyers was available to receive them from custody.
In a statement released sent on Friday, Falana said that the DSS decided not to release his two clients to his lawyers who waited for not less than four hours at the DSS Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
The Stanley Imhanruor, Effiong Inihebe, and Marshal Abubakar, were at the DSS office to serve the release warrants on the agency in anticipation of returning home with the two men on Thursday to no avail.
Falana said the DSS having acknowledged the service of the warrants for his clients’ release, two lawyers from his law firm would be at the DSS office to take the two detainees home today, Saturday.
