Sowore Treated At Prison Clinic After Sustaining Wounds From Police Brutal Attack
Omoyele Sowore, Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, has received treatment for the wounds he sustained during the brutal attack by some lawless policemen on the Kuje court premises on Friday.
It was learnt on Saturday that Sowore was treated at the clinic in Kuje Custodial Centre and given anti-tetanus pills to prevent infections, according to his lawyer, Tope Temokun in a release.
Temokun added that Sowore was “fine” after receiving the treatment.
“I returned from Kuje prison just now, and Omoyele Sowore was fine after being treated yesterday at the clinic there and given anti-tetanus pills for the wounds he sustained from the police attack yesterday within the precincts of the court,” Temokun stated.
Temokun also condemned the police’s denial of re-arresting Sowore, questioning whether court orders still hold any meaning for the police in Nigeria.
“The matter is not just about Sowore but about the potency of our law,” Temokun emphasised.
Sowore was granted bail and was meeting the conditions when police, who had laid siege to the court, stormed the premises and abducted him again the lawyer narrated.
“The position is very clear and simple,” he said. “Omoyele Sowore stood before the court, was given bail, met the bail conditions, and the magistrate who granted bail was yet to sign, it was still around 11 a.m. Yet, the police, who had laid siege on the court since early morning, stormed the court premises to abduct Omoyele Sowore again, for the second time,” Temokun emphasised.
Temokun raised concerns about safety in the country, even around court premises. “This raises concerns: are the people safe again in this country, even around the court?” he asked.
The lawyer criticised the police’s attempt to justify their actions, calling it “anarchy in uniform”.
“For the Police PRO to attempt to justify the lawless behaviour of their men is most irresponsible. To say it was not re-arrest, but submitting him to the custodial authorities is a sheer show of ignorance or mischief,” Temokun stated.
He said that Sowore was first arrested on Thursday in front of the Federal High Court, adding that “after raising public awareness and realizing they had made an error, trusting that Nigerians would call for account, they diverted and headed to Kuje.”
“On getting to Kuje, before later taking him in, the prison authorities first rejected Sowore on the ground that there was not proper documentation and they had to reverse to hunt for justification. Its a pattern, power acts first before thinking and before it finds reason to back its action,” he revealed.
Temokun emphasised that the police must step back and the court directs the process once bail is granted. “The legal procedure remains that the moment a court grants bail and issues its directives, and perfection is in progress, the police must step back and the court directs the process.
“From that moment, custodial power shifts fully to the Court and the Correctional Service, not the whims of the IPO or the Police authorities,” Temokun stated.
The lawyer urged the police to study Nigerian laws, particularly Chapter IV of the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, before making public statements.
“The matter here is not just about Sowore. Its about the potency of our law. It is about, whether the court’s process or its orders still have any meaning to the police in this country.
“We refuse to bow!” Temokun declared, emphasising the need to uphold the rule of law in Nigeria.
