DSS secures court order to detain Sowore for 45 days

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted a renewable permission to the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain the convener of RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore, for 45 days.

Sowore was last Saturday arrested by the security operatives for planning the RevolutionNow protest which held in some parts of the country on Monday.

The DSS had on Tuesday approached the court to detain Sowore for 90 days.

While ruling on the ex parte order, the presiding Judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that the detention order would be renewable after the expiration of the first 45 days on September 21.

Read also: #RevolutionNow: Northern coalition accuses South West of conspiracy against Buhari

The DSS rested on the provision of section 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act to seek the permission.

In his ruling, Justice Taiwo, said he had to grant the application, “only to the extent” of allowing the security agency to keep the respondent in custody for only 45 days for the applicant to conclude its investigation.”

He added that, although the hearing of the application was one-sided as provided by 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, the use of the word, “may”, in the provision “is directory” and not “discretionary”.

While noting that the court would be failing in its duty if it failed to grant the applicant’s prayer, he said should the applicant require more time to conclude its investigation after the expiration of the first 45 days, it had the liberty to apply for its renewal.

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