DSS Allegedly Orders Arrest of Sowore? Activist Breaks Silence
- President Tinubu’s government, former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello has come under heavy criticism as the DSS reportedly upgraded Omoyele Sowore’s status on its watchlist
- Sowore on Thursday said the DSS had ordered his arrest upon arrival in Nigeria but he would return home soon to continue his activism
- The activist noted that Nigeria needs salvation because the security team of Tinubu’s government are yet to arrest bandits and kidnappers and the EFCC is yet to arrest Bello but they are focused on him upon arrival in Nigeria
TheTalk.NG journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, has criticised the Department of State Services (DSS) for upgrading his status and name on its “watchlist.”
The activist shared a copy of the DSS signal, which indicated that his status was upgraded with The Punch on Thursday, September 12.
The signal, Dated August 16, 2024, and signed by Adeola Ali, ordered DSS operatives to arrest Sowore upon his arrival in the country.
It read:
“I am directed to inform you that the DSS DG has approved the upgrading of Watchlist B ( Report arrival and destination by telephone immediately ) to Watchlist F (Detain traveller and escort with baggage to National Headquarters. Vide DSE: 9A/6201 against Omoyele Sowore, an activist and founder of Sahara Reporters. This is for your strict compliance.“
Reacting, Sowore vowed to return home very soon despite the directives.
He said:
“The current administration, led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has demonstrated an upgraded inability to effectively track and apprehend terrorism suspects, bandits, and kidnappers, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has yet to arrest former Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello.
“Meanwhile, the DSS has upgraded my status and name on their “watchlist” for arrest upon arrival in Nigeria.
“It is imperative to recognise that our country, Nigeria, requires salvation, and our people need liberation, which will necessitate considerable effort.
“We cannot stop because we have some misguided elements running our country because they hijacked power, illegitimately. I intend to return home shortly, I mean VERY SOON.”
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS is yet to react to the development.
Meanwhile, Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju on Monday, criticized the President Bola Tinubu-led government over the arrest of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President, Joe Ajaero and invasion of the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Adeyanju told DailyPost that the next people to be arrested by the Tinubu-led government are former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Omoyele Sowore.
Read more about Omoyele Sowore, DSS here:
Aide debunks DSS’ alleged arrest of Peter Obi, wife
In another development, TheTalk.NG reported that Val Obienyem, Media Adviser to Peter Obi, has refuted false claims that Obi was arrested by the DSS at his Anambra State home, describing the rumors as baseless.
Obienyem clarified that Obi was in Rwanda on official engagements at the time of the alleged incident and is currently in Edo State, not Anambra.
The Media Adviser also dismissed the rumor about Obi’s wife being arrested as a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation and create panic.
Source: TheTalk.NG
