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Nigeria's Secret Police, DSS Mobilise Thugs To Attack Sowore During Kanu’s Trial On Wednesday

  • Date of Occurrence
    November 9, 2021
  • State/Country
    Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
  • Details
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Officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) have mobilized about 20 thugs to attack human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore at the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

A source told SaharaReporters that a contingent of the DSS arrived and took over the court premises on Tuesday. The source added that while around the court, they met with the leaders of the thugs to be used and briefed them on how they are expected to carry out the job.

The source also revealed that the DSS operatives instructed the thugs to inflict harm should there be any resistance.

Also according to the source, the thugs were promised that nobody would intervene, just like the police officers present during the last assault on the activist only looked on.

It took the intervention of journalists to stop the assault on Sowore at the time.

"The Nigerian secret police today met with some 20 thugs, paid them within the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja and told them to harass Omoyele Sowore if he tries to attend the ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu on Wednesday, November 10 2021.

"A contingent of the Department of State Services arrived and took over the court a few minutes ago and while there, they met with the leaders of the thugs to be used and briefed them on what to do.

"They told them to inflict harm if there is any resistance and promised them that nobody will intervene," the source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

Recall that the DSS had made similar arrangements during the last trial held in October, allowing three vehicles packed with thugs to arrive on the court premises to attack Sowore.

However, vigilant journalists were able to resist the attackers, a measure that forced the hands of the police to pretend to arrest the thugs, as they were released a few minutes later by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Federal Secretariat police station, Abubakar Hassan, aka Big Boy.

Sowore was, at the time denied access into the court by the security operatives.

SaharaReporters gathered that the hoodlums came with a petrol bomb.

“The police and Department of State Services (DSS) let their lone car pass and then closed their barricades and thereafter let them go after attacking Sowore,” an eyewitness had said, narrating the incident.

“Journalists and bloggers covering the trial outside revolted against what the DSS and police did and the police reluctantly arrested them and took them to the Federal Secretariat Police Station where the DPO, Hassan Abdullahi released them after 10 minutes.

“Hassan Abdullahi was the DPO that arrested and tore Sowore’s clothes on July 26th and he’s believed to have brought the thugs in conjunction with the DSS to attack and hurt him."

Another eyewitness had revealed that one of the assailants had a petrol bomb, adding that the policemen present there also saw it.

"Yes, one of the hoodlums was with a petrol bomb. Some people and I saw it, and the policemen there also saw it," the source had said.

"It can easily be denied but it was the police who actually took it out from his pocket. They were even the ones who identified it."

However, the DSP Adeh Josephine,
Police Public Relations Officer of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Abuja did not answer when SaharaReporters called to find out the update on the investigation and prosecution of the hoodlums who attacked Sowore.

She also did not reply when she was messaged on WhatsApp even though the grey checkmarks showing the message had been delivered later changed to blue, suggesting it had been read.

See link to the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW2qU6Y7iho&t=15s

Details
  • Date of Occurrence
    2021-11-09
  • State/Country
    Federal Capital Territory
  • Source
    http://saharareporters.com/2021/11/09/nigerias-secret-police-dss-mobilise-thugs-attack-sowore-during-kanu%E2%80%99s-trial-wednesday
Location

Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

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Region
  • North Central
Rights & Freedom Violated
  • Freedom of Expression
Gender of Victim(s)
  • Male
Mode of Attacks
  • Unlawful Killings, Physical Attacks, Torture, Degrading Treatment
  • Comments are closed.
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