Femi Falana Files 19-ground Application Against 45-day Detention

Omoyele Sowore has applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside its order permitting the Department of State Services to detain him for 45 days.  

Sowore, through his lawyer, Femi Falana, contended, among others in the 19-ground application on Friday, August 9th that the order issued by the court breached his constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights.  

He said the court order is “legalising the illegality” of his detention for about four days prior to the issuance of the court order. Filed along with his application on Friday was an affidavit of urgency seeking an urgent hearing of the suit on the grounds that it “is one of fundamental importance that affects salient fundamental rights of the applicant herein.”  

The Federal High Court had ruled on an ex parte application by the DSS to detain Sowore for 90 days to investigate him for treason-related allegations. However, Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Thursday granted the agency permission to hold the activist for 45 days.