COURT REMANDS SOWORE IN DETENTION FOR ‘TERRORISM’

The judge, in his ruling on an ex parte application filed by the security operatives, held that the detention order would be renewable after the expiration of first 45 days on September 21, adding that the Department of Security Service would get additional permission to keep locking Sowore up for his activism.

Penpushing further reports that, the Service had on Tuesday applied for permission to keep Sowore for 90 days to investigate him over his call for revolution ahead of the RevolutionNow protests which held in some parts of the country on Monday.

The Department of Security Service anchored its application on the provision of section 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, while it is recalled that Sowore had called for a good governance revolution in Nigeria last week, a development which made the Federal Government uncomfortable.

Penpushing also reports that, the remand order was granted ex-parte, meaning Sowore was not allowed to be represented by a lawyer and the judge took the decision based on only the claim of the Department of Security Service.

The judge, ruling on ex parte application, a one-sided request by the Service  without counter-argument by  Sowore’s legal team,  said he had to grant the application, “only to the extent” of allowing the security agency to keep the respondent in custody for only 45 days for the applicant to conclude its investigation.

Penpushing reports that, Justice Taiwo said, although the hearing of the application was one-sided as provided by 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, the use of the word, “may”, in the provision “is directory” and not “discretionary”.

The judge explained that,  he would, therefore, be failing in his duty not to grant the request for a detention order, stating that the applicant require more time to conclude its investigation after the expiration of the first 45 days, it had the liberty to apply for its renewal.