‘DSS Has Become Useless, Terrorist-Like Under Tinubu’ —Condemns Gestapo-Style Attempt To Abduct Sowore In Court, Yoruba Union Demands Public Apology From DG Ajayi

Ikeja, Lagos State– The Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmọ̀ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) over its treatment of activist and  presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, describing the secret police as “useless” and alleging that the agency now operates “like terrorists” under President Bola Tinubu.

The group accused the DSS of plotting to silence Sowore and stop him from participating in future elections, following a second attempt to abduct him in a “Gestapo-style operation” inside a Federal High Court in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Convener of the union, Olusola Badero, and signed by the organisation’s Home Director, Princess Balogun, the group condemned the assault on Sowore by DSS operatives.

According to the union, the DSS attempted to humiliate Sowore publicly inside the courtroom despite the fact that, in its view, he had committed no offence that justified such treatment.

The group said, “DSS has become useless and now acts like terrorists under President Bola Tinubu. They planned to kill Sowore. This is the second time they have acted in their Gestapo style to abduct Omoyele Sowore inside a Federal High Court of Nigeria despite the fact that he has not committed any crime that justifies such public humiliation and treatment.”

The union accused President Tinubu, stating double standards in the treatment meted out to political figures and activists in the country.

It said Tinubu, whom it accused of having “fortified his money and properties in the United States over drug trafficking allegations,” was never treated in the same manner, even though, according to the group, the DSS was aware of his past record.

The statement read, “President Tinubu, who fortified his money and properties in the United States over drug trafficking allegations, was not treated in this manner, even when DSS screened him despite knowing his past record.”

The Yoruba Union further accused the DSS of failing in its core responsibility as an intelligence agency, arguing that the service had been unable to arrest notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji, who has repeatedly appeared in public with sophisticated weapons and military camouflage and claimed to have killed Nigerians soldiers.

The organisation said it was disturbing that the DSS could not track or arrest Turji, yet had enough capacity to storm a courtroom to harass Sowore, whom it described as harmless.

“The same organisation that claims to be an intelligence-gathering agency has left the notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji untouched despite the fact that he moves around with sophisticated weapons and military camouflage. They have been unable to track him or arrest him in Gestapo style, but they can flex their muscles in court against Sowore, who is harmless.”

Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said it was not surprised by the conduct of the DSS, noting that the agency had reduced itself to a political tool in the hands of the Tinubu administration.

“We are not surprised that DSS has subjected itself to being Tinubu’s puppet. Their responsibility is to gather intelligence, but instead they have turned themselves into a tool for oppressing people. Their plan is to take Sowore into their custody and stop him from participating in the coming election and stop his campaign,” the union said.

While stressing that it was not affiliated with any political party, the Yoruba Union said it would continue to speak out in defence of justice and democratic values in Nigeria.

“Yoruba Union is not a partisan organisation, but we are after justice for Nigerians. We will not open our eyes and allow the Tinubu government, which enjoys the democracy Sowore and others fought for, to destabilise the country because of his own ambitions,” it added.

The group also called on the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, to publicly apologise to Sowore and to other Nigerians who, it said, had been subjected to similar treatment by operatives of the agency.

“Ìgbìnmọ̀ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá is telling DSS DG Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi to apologise to Sowore and others who have been subjected to the same treatment,” the statement said.

The union said Ajayi had a duty to condemn the conduct of his men in court and apologise for the manner in which they handled Sowore.

“Except if Ajayi is a bastard from Yoruba soil, he will apologise to Sowore for the way and manner his men operated in the courtroom yesterday. It is a shame to the organisation and to the country,” the union declared.

The organisation also accused the Tinubu administration of treating terrorists with leniency while targeting critics, activists, journalists and dissenting voices with intimidation, arbitrary arrest and violence.

“The world is watching and taking note of what the Nigerian government under Tinubu is doing to its citizens and how they are using glove hands to treat terrorists, how they have pardoned terrorists who have killed thousands of innocent people, rehabilitated and reintegrated them back into the society where they had wreaked havoc, and even compensated them after killing people,” Yoruba Union said.

The group described Nigeria as a “banana republic” where terrorists have been emboldened because they know they could be pardoned and compensated, while citizens and government critics are targeted for repression.

“Nigeria has become a banana republic where the Tinubu government emboldens terrorists to attack citizens since they know they will be pardoned and compensated, while oppressed people have become targets of oppression, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and killing, while terrorists walk freely,” it said.

The union insisted that Sowore was not an ordinary citizen who could be humiliated without consequences, accusing the DSS of repeatedly violating court orders and showing contempt for the rule of law.

It referenced a previous case in which Sowore was charged with treason, saying the court later discharged him and awarded monetary compensation, but that the DSS allegedly refused to comply fully with the judgment.

“Sowore is not just someone they can humiliate and get away with. DSS has no respect for the law of the country. They violated the law and disobeyed the court by refusing to release all the benefits listed by the court for Sowore after the treason charges they filed against him failed and the court awarded money to be paid to him,” the union stated.

The organisation also criticised Justice Mohammed Umar, who remanded Sowore in Kuje prison, accusing the judge of bias and vowing to mobilise protests against him, the former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the DSS Director-General.

“The useless and lawless organisation refused to obey court orders, yet they trooped into the courtroom in Gestapo style to abduct Sowore, whom Justice Mohammed Umar, who is also biased, remanded in Kuje Prison,” the statement said.

“No doubt Justice Umar is going to face all the consequences of his actions. We are going to mobilise our people to all embassies to protest the injustice perpetrated by Umar, Kayode Egbetokun and now the DSS DG, Ajayi himself, and let the world know what they are doing to their citizens.”