DSS Arrests Sowore at Lagos Airport See Why

DSS Arrests Sowore at Lagos Airport Amid #EndBadGovernance Protests

iexclusivenews – The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The arrest occurred on Sunday immediately upon Sowore’s arrival in Nigeria from the United States.

This development follows a series of events linked to Sowore’s activism and his role in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests.

DSS Arrests Sowore: Background and Immediate Events

Sowore, who had been in the United States with his family, was met by members of the Take It Back Movement and other activists at the airport.

His flight departed from Washington Dulles International Airport at 6:14 EDT and arrived in Lagos at approximately 9:43 WAT.

Prior to his arrival, SaharaReporters had reported that a DSS memo ordering Sowore’s arrest had leaked, prompting Sowore to criticize the DSS for their actions.

In a post on his X account, Sowore stated,

“The current administration, led by Tinubu, has demonstrated an upgraded inability to effectively track and apprehend terrorism suspects, bandits, and kidnappers, while the @officialEFCC has yet to arrest former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Meanwhile, the lawless @OfficialDSSNG has upgraded my status and name on their ‘watchlist’ for arrest upon arrival in Nigeria.”

DSS Arrests Sowore: The Directive and Its Implications

Earlier in September, SaharaReporters revealed that the DSS had instructed airport security and immigration authorities to intercept and detain Sowore upon his arrival.

The directive, issued by the newly appointed DSS Director General, Adeola Ajayi, was linked to Sowore’s involvement in the 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests.

The memo obtained by SaharaReporters read;

“DSE: 94/6203 X WATCHLIST ACTION X EYE AM DIRECTED TO INFO Y OURS THAT X THE DGSS HAS APPROVED THE UPGRADING OF WLA ‘B’ (REPORT ARRIVAL AND DESTINATION BY TELEPHONE IMMEDIATE LY) TO WLA ‘F’ (DETAIN TRAVELER AND ESCORT WITH BAGGAGE TO NHSS) X VIDE DSE: 9A/6201 X AGAINST OMOYELE SOWORE X AN ACTIVIST/FOUNDER OF SAHARA REPORTERS INC. X AN ONLINE NEWS AGENCY X THIS IS FOR YOUR STRICT COMPLIANCE X PLEASE X.”

A trusted source at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport confirmed that Ajayi had placed Sowore’s name on a security watchlist due to his involvement in the protests and an upcoming demonstration on October 1. “The new DSS boss forwarded Sowore’s name to airport security for him to be arrested whenever he enters the country,” the source disclosed.

Sowore’s Response and Future Plans

In an interview on September 4, 2024, with Cordelia Okpei on “The Voice of the Peoples” program, Sowore revealed that he had received credible intelligence about his impending arrest. He criticized the new DSS Director General for prioritizing political vendettas over addressing Nigeria’s pervasive insecurity.

“We have drawn our next protest which is in October. They called me several times. They have my name at the airport. I am on their watchlist as I was told by several people. So, they will most likely arrest me when I return to Nigeria but that will not stop me. I will go to Nigeria whenever I want to go to Nigeria, it is my country. I don’t have any other country other than Nigeria,” Sowore stated.

Sowore emphasized the need to confront the current administration and its actions, stating,

“We have seen many oppressors, bullies, and tyrants in our lifetime. But that is not the issue; the issue is that these people have done more damage to the Nigerian civil populace than they have done to anywhere else.”

DSS Arrests Sowore

The arrest of Omoyele Sowore by the DSS at Lagos airport underscores the ongoing tensions between the Nigerian government and activists. Sowore’s involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests and his outspoken criticism of the administration have made him a target for arrest. As the situation unfolds, the implications of this arrest for Nigeria’s political landscape and the future of activism in the country remain to be seen.