The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), says he has directed the Department of State Services to release the immediate-past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki; and #RevolutionNow protest convener, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, from custody.
As of the time of filing this report on Tuesday, our correspondent learnt that final documentation was being concluded for the release of the two men at the headquarters of the DSS in Abuja.
While Dasuki has been in the DSS’ custody since December 2015, Sowore was rearrested on December 6 barely 24 hours of being released from custody that lasted over four months.
Malami said in a statement obtained by THE NEWS MAIL ONLINE on Tuesday that the regime has decided to obey the court orders granting bail to the two men.
While indicating that he would file an appeal against the court orders, he enjoined them to observe their bail conditions.
The THE NEWS MAIL ONLINE had in a strongly worded editorial published on December 11, 2019, condemned the lawlessness of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari.
The newspaper had cited the illegal detentions of Sowore and Dasuki as part of the regime’s acts of disobedience to court orders and the disregard for the rule of law.
It adopted an editorial policy of prefixing Buhari’s name by his last military rank of Major General until his regime started retracing its steps.
The statement read, “The Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation has reviewed the pending criminal charges against the duo of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Omoyele Sowore. Whilst the Federal High Court has exercised its discretion in granting bail to the Defendants in respect of the charges against them, I am also not unmindful of the right of the Complainant/Prosecution to appeal or further challenge the grant of bail by the court having regards to extant legal provisions, particularly Section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. However, my Office has chosen to comply with the court orders while considering the pursuit of its rights of appeal and/or review of the order relating to the bail as granted or varied by the courts.
“In line with the provisions of Sections 150(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and in compliance with the bail granted to Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) (as recently varied by the Court of Appeal) and the bail granted to Omoyele Sowore, I have directed the State Security Services to comply with the order granting bail to the Defendants and effect their release.
“The two Defendants are enjoined to observe the terms of their bail and refrain from engaging in any act that is inimical to public peace and national security as well as their ongoing trial which will run its course in accordance with the laws of the land.
“I wish to reiterate again the utmost regard of my Office for the entire judicial structure of Nigeria. This administration remains unrelenting in deepening the rule of law and the administration of justice in general.”
