By Uche Mbah
The Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, has ordered the release of Omoyele Sowore and Sambo Dasuki, two people held by the Department of state services, DSS, despite Court orders.
Dasuki has been in detention since 2015.
Malami hinted on seeking legal means of rearresting the duo, and advised them to comply with their bail conditions.
“The Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation has reviewed the pending criminal charges against the duo of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Omoyele Sowore.
“Whilst the Federal High Court has exercised its discretion in granting bail to the defendants in respect of the charges against them, I am also not unmindful of the right of the Complainant/Prosecution to appeal or further challenge the grant of bail by the court, having regard to extant legal provisions, particularly Section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“However, my office has chosen to comply with the court orders while considering the pursuit of its rights of appeal and/or review of the order relating to the bail as granted or varied by the courts.
“In line with the provisions of Section 150(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and in compliance with the bail granted to Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) (as recently varied by the Court of Appeal); and the bail granted to Omoyele Sowore, I have directed the State Security Services to comply with the order granting bail to the defendants and effect their release.
“The two defendants are enjoined to observe the terms of their bail and refrain from engaging in any act that is inimical to public peace and national security, as well as their ongoing trial which will run its course in accordance with the laws of the land.
“I wish to reiterate again the utmost regard of my office for the entire judicial structure of Nigeria.
“This administration remains unrelenting in deepening the rule of law and the administration of justice in general.”
There has been scatting criticisms in recent times of the government continued detention of the duo, with the strongest pressures allegedly coming from the United States. There were indications that the US will be officially represented at the next Sowore trial. That trial, however, did not hold because the Judge washed his hands off the case, saying Sowore’s media had once accused him of taking bribe to subvert justice.
Indications are that the legal documents are being finalized for their release.
