The sitting in Abuja on Monday of the Federal High Court has threatened to imprison the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, over the agency’s refusal to release detained activists Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare widely known as Mandate.
Recalling the court's order on November 6, 2019 to release the activists after they met their bail conditions.
A notice of consequence of disobedience of court order (Form 48) marked FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 obtained by SaharaReporters was served on Bichi by the court’s bailiff.
The court document has read, “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this court order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made on November 6, 2019 which ordered you to release the defendants/applicants in suit no: FHC /ABJ /CR/ 235/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.
“This court has been informed that you are yet to comply with the lawful order of the court by refusing to release the defendants/applicants namely Omoyele Stephen Sowore and Olawale Adebayo (Mandate) in your custody.
“You are hereby directed to comply with the court order forthwith or you will be guilty of contempt of court.”
Sowore, who has gained a global fame for exposing Nigeria's corrupt politicians, was arrested in Lagos on August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstration, demanding a better administration and better country from president Buhari's government.
