The Nigerian Bar Association has reacted to the Friday invasion of the Federal High Court, Abuja, by operatives of the Department of State Services in an attempt to rearrest Mr. Omoyele Sowore, who had been released less that 12 hours before.

See the full statement:

DESECRATION AND ASSAULT ON THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT BY DSS: NBA URGES ALL NIGERIANS TO DEFEND THE RULE OF LAW


The Nigerian Bar Association is greatly dismayed at the exhibition of primitivity, thuggery, insane passion for lawlessness, contempt and disrespect for the rule of law by the agents of the Department of State Services (DSS) within the precints of the Federal High Court, Abuja while attempting to re-arrest Citizens Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare earlier today.

Eventually Sowore and Bakare were re-arrested by the DSS inspite of being on bail granted by the Federal High Court.

The NBA has been properly briefed – beyond the shameful videos of the incident in public domain- by our members who witnessed the disgraceful and crass violation of the hallowed precincts of the law by the officers of the Department of State Services, an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The NBA finds it disgraceful that this ‘court riot’ occasioned by the high handedness and insensitivity of the security operatives interrupted judicial proceedings and made the Presiding Judge to abandon judicial proceedings because of safety concerns.
The Nigerian Bar Association strongly condemns the action of the Department of State Security, which is another in the series of impunity and lawlessness exhibited by the DSS. The invasion of the court by the agency of the Gederal Government of Nigeria runs contrary to the avowed assurances of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that he will ensure that the Federal Government and agencies under it obeys court orders. The disrespect of the court by the DSS is legendary and unrivalled.

Few days ago, the officers of the Nigerian Police Force exhibited similar traits when it also invaded the precincts of the High Court, Effurun to arrest Mr. Ademi-Akpeto, Chairman of Sapele branch of the NBA. Many Nigerians are still in unlawful custody and not charged to court. Nigerians are now under siege by security agents who have no regards for the law and the courts.

The NBA urges all Nigerians to be alive to their responsibilities as citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and is ready to partner with all Nigerians and civil society organisations to ensure that the rights of Nigerians as guaranteed by Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended are not trampled upon by by any agency of government.

The NBA therefore, demands as follow:

1. That the Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Assembly immediately investigate the shameful conduct by the DSS and ensure that all persons found culpable are duly punished in accordance with the law.

2. The immediate suspension of the Director General of the Department of State Security from office. We make this demand bearing in mind the fact that the DSS under his leadership has established itself as a brutish and irresponsible agency that derives immense pleasure from violating the fundamental rights of Nigerians and disrespecting court orders.

3. That the National Assembly should review the laws setting up the DSS and indeed all security agencies in Nigeria with a view to repositioning them to be more responsible and responsive to the public.

4. That the Attorney General of the Federation, being the Chief Law officer of the Federation takes over all the political cases or cases involving politically exposed persons presently handled by the DSS.

The above demands of the NBA is without prejudice to the consultations presently going on amongst critical stakeholders in the legal profession and the judiciary on how best to ensure that this sad incident does not re-occur.


https://punchng.com/full-text-nba-reacts-to-dss-court-invasion-sowores-rearrest/

Forget grammar, if there are no punitive measures, it will happen again and again and again.

Who exactly is the FG? The NASS is inside "FG's" pocket . FG appointed the CJN.

So...

Never has Nigeria experienced such impunity even under the popular Abacha.


Funny thing is 'FG' is making Sowore more popular.

This is story for the gods. All these demands don't make sense when a tyrant is on the seat.

Let me nulify all their request.

1. Fg and NASS to investigate what exactly? The tyrant is the head of the Fg while SP is his stooge .
2. Who will suspend the DG of SSS? This has happened before when the VP removed the former one only for the tyrant to replace the new person with this present DG. Again nothing will happen.

3. SP as indicated in 1 above is the tyrants stooge. Nothing will be reviewed.

4. Attorney general and let me add the CJN are all in cahoot with the tyrant.

So all these talk and suggestion NBA is doing is just air shots.

Someone that has all 3 arms of govt in his pocket, has ear problem and only reads cartoon is who they are making demands from.

Confirmed Shithole Country

I laugh bcuz d judiciary is under buhari

A Democratic nation for this matter.

Zoo

These clowns.
When Buhari deposed the Chief Justice and illegally installed a Sharia court judge as the CJN,what did you people do?Nothing.
When Buhari severally disobeyed court orders that Dasuki and El Zazhaki be released what did u people do?Nothing.
Several countless incidents of gross disregard for the rule of Court, something Yaradua promoted and obeyed even if it went against the government, despite his short tenure;have been carried out by this satanic government,yet supposed bar association kept quiet and even encouraged,now they are issuing a worthless press statement.
The same thing is happening with freedom of speech and press freedom.
Instead of everyone trooping out to protest the abyss and cesspit this man is steering Nigeria towards,they are all cowardly urging him on and supporting him and issuing worthless press statements in the comfort of their offices or even bedrooms.
I only wish the thunder that will strike will hit cowards and supporters of his hardest.
Rubbish press release.

The Judiciary is part of our problems. Their conniving with the Executive arm and INEC to thwart justice is bringing them to their knees

Buhari is a tyrant after the order of Gaddafi of Libya. God will judge all those that imposed this evil on us. The truth is, this brazen impunity and disregard for court order will not stop any time soon . Nobody is safe anymore. Citizens are afraid to air their views in there country in a democracy. That's crazy.

The same NBA now Nigerian Basketball Association ( according to ops below) came out enmass in 2012 to protest against fuel subsidy removal by fomer President Jonathan are now asking me to defend the rule of law. We must enjoy this next level together.

Nigeria Basketball Associations ( NBA) are just waking up

So these people believed DSS acted on their own will?

Rank your business fast on Google,
chat up now

One drunkard woman said the arrest was staged and managed by Sowore himself.

One rotten dead fish seller said he's a patriot.

On Hunger bad said its normal in democracy.

Our NBA are saying different thing again.

Nigeria is turned to Ultra Power Saving Mode. We are finish

You people don’t know Buhari!!

Sir Michael Adekunle Ajasin who was elected governor of Ondo state (1979- 1983) was tried by a military tribunal & found innocent.

Buhari ordered a fresh trial 3 times

He was still found innocent

Buhari still jailed him.


Sowore is not the first.

The NBA should drop these fancy words of theirs.

It amounts to chest beating.

The DSS are working under orders from above.

The present cjn was placed on that hallowed seat based on orders from above.


Put in a different format, these stooges are not working on their own but following a script layed out for them to play out.


This amounts to the use of cat paws. Act the saint and wreck havoc like a fiend


Meanwhile madam Lauretta Onochie has suddenly become a Nollywood script writer.


This country is actually a badly written joke

Pls actions should be taken to avoid another show of shame

toothless NBA....NBA needs to b scrapped

Child's play

I don't know the kind of cowardly lawyers we have in Nigeria today

Impunity happen and they do nothing


When will Gani Fawehinmi rise again?

The Aboki Dey are making demands to doesn’t understand English ba turanchi
If it was Jonathan dey wud have been matching the streets now... I wonder wats stoping dem now

All those boys who plait their hairs n put on earring, may God add menstruation for u.�

Is Buhari truly incharge?

Omoyele Sowore Mandela.

It is only reaction that we know how to do in this country�.
I am even tired of this country sef. I am going back to my village ☹️

Wetin cosyn me......

Nigeria was a joke yesterday..... Is a joke today and will still be a joke tomorrow.....

As there is nothing i can do i go jus dey my dey jeje!!!

Lauretta Onochie will not agree with this report