We’re Keeping Sowore’s Phones, Money To Investigate Ties To Terrorism — SSS

The State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria’s secret police, claims it is looking into cell phones seized from rights activist Omoyele Sowore for possible terrorism links.

Mr Sowore has filed a lawsuit against the SSS, requesting that the court order the agency to release his mobile devices that had been taken during his detention in 2019.

Mr Sowore’s counsel, Funmi Falana, questioned the legality of keeping Mr Sowore’s devices and some money totaling N10,000 in the custody of the SSS, especially without a court order guaranteeing the same, during the hearing of the suit before Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday.

The phone, however, was not seized by the SSS; instead, it was recovered after the arrest and is currently being probed for terrorism links, according to SSS counsel.

The State’s attorney also objected to the application, claiming that Mr Sowore is still on trial for certain allegations before a different judge.

Mrs Falana criticized the arguments and urged the judge to dismiss them because the SSS did not offer the phones as evidence in the case it brought against Mr Sowore, and it also did not get any order authorizing the seizure of the device.

She also requested the judge to order the SSS to pay the applicant N20,000,000 in damages.

Mr. Sowore, a pro-democracy activist, was arrested on August 3 for calling for nonviolent protests against President Muhammadu Buhari’s dictatorship, which he dubbed “RevolutionNow.”

Despite his incarceration, nationwide protests were organized on August 5, with thousands of Nigerians taking part in thirty-one cities across the country. Following the first #RevolutionNow protests on August 5, 2019, a series of protests were staged to demand the activist’s unconditional release.

The SSS initially requested a 90-day detention order to complete their investigation; however, the court only granted 45 days, after which the SSS failed to arraign Mr Sowore in court or release him.

Mr Sowore was released on December 5, 2019, after widespread protests and US intervention, but his freedom was short-lived as he was re-arrested by SSS operatives inside the Federal High Court in Abuja and held in custody until Tuesday, December 24, 2019, when Attorney General Abubarkar Malami ordered his release.