Former Nigeria vice president Atiku Abubakar on Friday the invasion of
the Federal High Court, Abuja, to arrest Sahara Reporters publisher
Omoyele Sowore was a violation of democratic norms.
“Nigeria is not a dictatorship,” Atiku tweeted.
“We are a democracy, no matter how inconvenient this fact is to the
powers that have forced themselves on us.”
“To keep Nigeria a democracy is the paramount duty of all concerned
stakeholders. Please speak up against this tyranny and side with the
Nigerian people.”
Operatives of the Department of Security Service (DSS) on Friday
re-arrested Sowore barely 24hours after his release.
Sowore was released on Thursday night after the court gave Nigeria’s
secret police a 24-hour ultimatum to release him.
The court also awarded N100,000 against the prosecution for failing to
comply with court orders requesting the release of Sowore and for not
serving the defence counsel with necessary documents early enough.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu after court
proceedings adjourned the case till February 11 and 12 and 13, 2020 for
definite hearing.
But as everyone filed out of the courtroom, no fewer than 15 armed
officers of the DSS, who had laid an ambush for the defendants, made
their way towards Sowore and his co-defendant Bakare.
There was a stampede as the officers cocked their guns scaring people
away.
Sowore and Bakare, however, resisted being rearrested, running back into
the courtroom.