I am not a terrorist, Sowore replies DSS in counter affidavit

Detained leader of #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore has denied ever being involved in any terrorist activity as alleged by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Sowore, a presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election, also insisted that there is no evidence linking him to any terrorist activity, adding that there was no where he expressed a desire to launch any violent attack or topple any government in Nigeria.

Sowore stated this in a 19 page counter affidafits deposed to by Mr.Abubakar Marshal in a suit No FHC/ABJ /CS/915/2019 in response to the allegations levelled against him by the DSS.

Sowore also denied having any meeting or consultation with with members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN)

#RevolutionNow Co-convener also stated that he needed treatment on his ankle which was seriously strained during the midnight invasion of his abode on Friday 2nd August, 2019 by DSS operatives.

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The Sahara Reporters publisher also said his pedigree is unblemished as a pro-democracy activist, social crusader and front line opinion molder, adding that he was one of the activists who played vital roles in restoring democracy in Nigeria in May 1999.

He denied ever visiting Dubai or any of the UAE cities or received any money from any individual, group or organization for the purpose of removing the President or freeing any person through any unlawful means as alleged by the government.

The activist said that he has availed the DSS of his local and foreign banks’ account details and the operatives could not believe that he does not have millions of Naira in his accounts.

The affidavit reads in part: ” iii. That in specific response to Paragraph 4 (IV) he has never been involved in any terrorist activity and there is no evidence whatsoever linking him to any terrorist activity.

“iv. That in specific response to paragraph 4 (v-vi) the mass protest tagged “Revolution Now’’ took place in many cities across the Country on the 5th August, 2019 in his absence but there was no reported attempt to violently topple the government in Nigeria.

“v. That the armed operatives of the Applicant/Respondent who arrested him on August 2, 2019 searched his house, seized his telephones and detained him and subjected him to investigation without any court order.

“vi. That on Tuesday, 2nd July, 2019 he met with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British national in New York City, United States of America and at the end of the said meeting, they both issued a joint press statement. A copy of the said statement is hereto attached and marked EXHIBIT A. The Applicant/Respondent did not know about the meeting until it was reported in Sahara Reporters, an online medium published by him.

“vii. That contrary to the deposition in Paragraph (vii-xi) of the counter-affidavit, there was nowhere in EXHIBIT SSS1 where he expressed a desire to launch any violent attack or topple any government in Nigeria.

“viii. That in further response to paragraphs 4 (vii-xii) he did not plan a coup with anyone but he mobilized the Nigerian people including students and youths, workers, market women and other oppressed people to influence the federal government, the 36 state governments and 774 local governments to address the crises of corruption, maladministration, mismanagement of the economy and insecurity ”

“ix. On August 5, 2019 the Applicant / Respondent claimed that it had the Respondent/Applicant in custody and boasted that it had foiled the Revolution. In the evening of the same date, the federal government issued a statement wherein it thanked the Nigerian people for not joining the RevolutionNow protests.”

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