Senate probes DSS’ invasion of court

The senate has directed its committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters to investigate the invasion of a courtroom during federal government’s case against Omoyele Sowore, convener of #RevolutionNow.

On Friday, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) had stormed a federal high court in Abuja to rearrest Sowore.

This was resisted by some supporters of the activist as the judge quickly withdrew into her chambers.

Although the DSS later denied invading the court, Femi Falana, Sowore’s counsel, said the secret police apologised to the judge.

At plenary on Thursday, Opeyemi Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central, said there was need to investigate the incident.

“It is a very crucial issue of which we cannot pretend, as elected representatives of the people especially as chairman of the Senate committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters, the reported alleged invasion of the courtroom by alleged officials of the Department of State Services is one issue that has raised a lot of concern in different quarters in Nigeria,” Bamidele said.

“The leadership and members of the judiciary are particularly concerned about this development. They believe, like the rest of us do, that the courtroom is meant to be a sanctuary.

“For us as a senate, we cannot begin to take position or analyse issues based on conclusion without facts that we consider incontrovertible.

“Yet, much as we cannot just jump into conclusion, is it also a fact that we cannot pretend not to know that Nigerians are not concerned about this development. I came under order 43 so I do not generate any controversy.”

Thereafter, Senate President Ahmad Lawan directed the committee on judiciary to handle the matter and report back in one week.

“I will suggest that our committee on judiciary, legal matters and legal matters investigates finds out what exactly happened and report back in one week,” Lawan said.

On Wednesday, Abubakar Malami, minister of justice, said the federal government had ordered a probe of the incident.