Headlines
Court Turns Down DSS Request, Orders Immediate Release of Sowore
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore. Justice Taiwa Taiwo, who gave the order, urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to release Sowore to his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), who must produce the accused person whenever the court wants him to appear over charges brought against him.
Sowore, who is the publisher of the news website, Sahara Reporters, and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, was arrested on August 3 by the DSS, two days before his planned rally tagged RevolutionNow. A few days after his arrest and detention, precisely on August 8, the DSS obtained permission of the Federal High Court to detain him in its custody for another 90 days for alleged terrorism offence, but the court granted 45 days.
Efforts by Sowore and his counsel to abridge the time proved abortive as the court declined to hear their plea. Falana had tried to explain to the court that it was misled by the DSS into granting the request. Although the court had fixed that day for hearing on the application, Justice Nkeonye Maha, however, refused every move to entertain the motion on the ground that she lacked the power to vacate or review an order made by a court of equal jurisdiction. “The court has given an order; do I have the power to set aside (an) order of a court of equal jurisdiction?”
Justice Maha held that since Justice Taiwo, who granted the order would be back soon, Falana should return to him or rather channel his application to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.But Falana insisted that even though the other party was asking for adjournment, the court had the power to abridge the date. “My Lordship will do justice to the matter, otherwise, the man will be there for 40 days, which is not in the interest of justice,” he prayed.
With the failure of that plea, the activist Sowore spent the whole 45 days in the DSS custody. But yesterday, the parties returned to the same Justice Taiwo, who ordered an immediate release of Sowore to his lawyer. The judge, however, held that since the charges of terrorism had already been filed against Sowore, he must deposit his international passport and other travel documents to the court to guarantee his availability for trial.
Earlier, Justice Taiwo stood down the case after hearing arguments from both parties. Falana had argued that the order issued by the court on August 8, permitting the DSS to hold the activist for 45 days had expired on September 21. He, therefore, prayed the court to issue a consequential order releasing Sowore from the custody of DSS.
But the counsel to DSS, G.O Agbadua, told the court that since the charges had been filed against the activist on September 20, it was lawful to continue to keep him until arraignment. Falana kicked against Agbadua’s position on the ground that the filing of charges could not metamorphose into a detention order, adding that a citizen could not detain a citizen in anticipation of arraignment.
Agbadua had earlier withdrawn the application filed by the DSS seeking the extension of the period of detention of Sowore for another 20 days. He based his request on the ground that charges had been filed against the activist. Consequently, Falana withdrew Sowore’s application for bail on the ground that the application had become an academic exercise since the order of detention had expired.
With the expiration of the detention order and the withdrawal of the DSS’ request to further keep Sowore in custody, Falana, therefore, urged the court to order the release of his client.Justice Taiwo, in his ruling, agreed with Falana and consequently, ordered the immediate release of Sowore from custody.In a reaction to the ruling, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere described it as a courageous demonstration by the court.
The Guardian
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, his son Abdulaziz Malami, and his wife Asabe Bashir in the sum of N200 million each and two sureties in like sum.
As part of the bail conditions, one of the sureties is to deposit title deeds of properties in highbrow Maitama or Asokoro.
The defendants have been ordered to deposit their international passports with the court.
They are to remain in the custody of the Nigerian correctional service pending perfection of their bail conditions.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until March 16 for the commencement of the trial.
Headlines
Israeli Ambassador Accuses Iran of Spreading Terror, Sponsoring Extremist Activities in Nigeria
Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused Iran of sponsoring extremist activities in Nigeria and other parts of the world, alleging that Tehran supports groups aimed at destabilising countries while pursuing its hostility against Israel.
Freeman made the remarks on Friday while speaking during an interview on The Morning Show on Arise News.
The envoy claimed that Iran is the only country within the United Nations that openly expresses a desire to destroy another sovereign state, referring to repeated threats against Israel.
According to him, the Iranian government has, over several decades, supported militant groups and terror organisations around the world in pursuit of that objective.
Freeman alleged that Iran has backed groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, adding that Tehran was also behind the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas against Israel.
He further claimed that Iranian activities aimed at spreading instability have been observed across several regions, including Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa.
Speaking specifically about Nigeria, the Israeli ambassador alleged that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria receives backing from the Iranian government.
According to Freeman, statements of support from Iran’s leadership, including posts by Ali Khamenei on social media, have openly indicated such ties.
He said: “The issue here is about Iran. Iran is the only country in the world, in the United Nations, who expressly desires to wipe another country off the face of the earth. Iran has stated its very policy is to destroy Israel. Is to wipe Israel off the map is to make sure they kill every single person and no regime, no country that has an express desire to destroy Israel, and it’s not only an expressed desire.
“We’ve seen over 47 years, they’ve taken all the actions they can in order for that to happen. We’ve seen them sponsor terror organizations. They were behind October the seventh massacre of Hamas. We’ve seen them sponsoring Hezbollah. We’ve seen them acting in Europe. We’ve seen them acting in Australia. We’ve seen them acting in Nigeria.
“We’ve seen these people acting all across the world in order to spread disturbance for them to try and carry out their aim of destroying Israel, and Israel will not allow another country to have nuclear weapons when they’ve expressly stated they want those weapons to destroy Israel”.
“I think that it is well documented. We know that there are certain movements, for example, the Islamic movement of Nigeria is sponsored and is backed by the Iranian regime. This is not me saying this, we’ve seen that documented by the Iranian regime.
“The Supreme Leader posted on X his support and his backing there. So that’s very open. And there are other areas as well that Iran is working for, destabilizing, not only Nigeria, but all of West Africa.”
No fewer than 140 persons are missing after an Iranian navy ship sank off the coast of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan navy says around 180 people were on board, with 32 rescued.
A spokesperson told the BBC the cause of the sinking was not known. But US Defence Secretary (Secretary of War) said that the US submarine sank Iranian warship with torpedo in Indian Ocean.
Hegseth says that in the Indian Ocean, the US sank “an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters”.
“Instead it was sunk by a torpedo,” he says.
Hegseth did not name the Iranian ship that was attacked.
But earlier, the Sri Lankan navy reported the IRIS Dena went down in the Indian Ocean, with around 140 people on board missing.
Hegseth says “more waves” are coming
This “was never meant to be a fair fight, and it’s not a fair fight”, says Hegseth, adding that the US was punching Iran “while they’re down”.
“More and larger waves are coming, we are just getting started,” he said
Hegseth says Iranian regime are “toast”
Hegseth said the results over the past four days had been “incredible, historic really”.
“They are toast, and they know it,” he said referring to the Iranian regime.
He added that US forces had begun to “hunt, dismantle, demoralise, destroy and defeat” the regime’s capabilities.
He said that Iranian leaders would be looking up and seeing only “US and Israeli air power” until US and Israel decided the war was over.
“America is winning,’” says Hegseth
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said “America is winning, decisively, devastatingly and without mercy.”
“We are only four days in”, he said, but “as Trump has said” the US “will take all the time we need” to make sure the operation is a success.
BBC
