Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Attempts by the bailiff of the Federal High Court to serve the Department of State Service (DSS) with the order of the court directing the release of Omowole Sowore failed on Friday as he was blocked from gaining entry into it’s the service’s headquarters.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo had on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest Omowole Sowore.
Justice Taiwo ordered him to submit his passport to the court’s registry as the sole condition for the bail.
Sowore’s lawyers said that the terms of his bail had since been fulfiled, however, he was yet to be released.
This is the second time the service would refuse to be served with the order of the court.
Our correspondent was told that at about 9:30 am on Friday, the bailiff of the court arrived the DSS headquarters in Abuja but was asked to return at noon when the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi, would be around.
However, when the bailiff returned to the DSS headquarters at 12.14 p.m. he was again denied access into the building.
Confirming the development, one of his lawyers, Sam Ogala said he was at the main gate of the DSS office when the bailiff was denied entrance into the building.
Sowore’s legal team led by Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), had on Thursday expressed shock over DSS’ claim that it had not been served with the order issued by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja granting bail to Sowore.
On Thursday, after DSS’ spokesperson denied that the agency had been served with the court order, Falana said, Ayuba Adam of the Legal Department of the DSS received the court order on behalf of the agency on September 24, 2019 (Tuesday).
Already, Sowore’s legal team had commenced a contempt suit against the DSS boss for failing to comply with the court order for Sowore’s release.
The DSS, on August 3, arrested Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections for his alleged call for a revolution protest scheduled to hold on August 5.