RULAAC condemns DSS courtroom seizure of Sowore as assault on rule of law
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has condemned the alleged forceful seizure of human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore by operatives of the Department of State Services inside the Federal High Court, Abuja.
In a statement Monday, RULAAC said DSS operatives reportedly overpowered and removed Sowore from the court premises shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered that he be remanded in Nigerian Correctional Service custody pending the hearing of his application for stay of execution.
“If these reports are accurate, the actions of the DSS represent a brazen affront to the authority of the court, a dangerous violation of due process, and a deeply troubling display of institutional lawlessness,” the group said.
RULAAC expressed concern over reports that Sowore sustained injuries during the incident. It noted that using force against a defendant who voluntarily submitted to court jurisdiction raises questions about the motive, describing the conduct as bearing “the hallmarks of vindictiveness and abuse of power rather than lawful law enforcement.”
The group recalled past incidents where security agencies allegedly disregarded court orders in politically sensitive cases, saying such actions damage public confidence in the justice system and reinforce perceptions that some state institutions operate above the law.
RULAAC said the DSS derives its authority from the Constitution and cannot substitute its judgment for that of a competent court. It added that every government agency is bound to comply with lawful court orders unless set aside by a superior court.
“The apparent disregard for the court’s remand order, if confirmed, reflects an increasingly troubling tendency toward executive overreach and intolerance of dissent,” the statement read.
The advocacy group demanded an immediate explanation from the DSS on the legal basis for its actions, an independent investigation into the alleged removal and injury of Sowore, and accountability for any officials found to have acted unlawfully or in contempt of court.
RULAAC also urged the Federal Government, DSS leadership, Nigerian Bar Association, National Human Rights Commission, civil society groups and other defenders of constitutional democracy to speak out against attempts to undermine judicial authority.
“Nigeria’s democratic credentials are measured not by how it treats those who support those in power, but by how it treats those who criticize them,” it said.
