00:00As people of Nepal in South Asia country took to the streets in an unprecedented manner to protest an end to corruption and bad leadership in the country during the week after a short-lived ban on social media by the Nepalese government, Nigeria's secret police known as Department of State Security Services,
00:18The DSS appeared to have doubled efforts apparently to avert the unpleasant Nepal situation in the West Africa country, a situation where some politicians in the South Asia country tasted the bitter side of their citizens like never before.
00:33This, the DSS has appeared to be on the neck of ex-social media management to ensure the deletion of a post tweeted by the founder of Sahara Reporters News Media and a well-known anti-government critic, Omiele Sawari that allegedly described the Nigeria president, Bola Ahmed Tanubu, as a criminal.
00:52A statement Sahara made in reaction to the words of President Bola Ahmed Tanubu over corruption in Nigeria while the president was on official visit in Brazil, the DSS said Sahara misrepresented the president's statement and as such, the supporters of the president are not happy over it, hence, the security service demanded a retracted publication from Omiele Sawari, but, in a swift reaction, Omiele declined and accused the DSS of always acting illegally.
01:22In a letter written during the week and addressed to the Director General of the Department of State Services, Omiele said,
01:29I acknowledge receipt of your letter, which you stealthily dumped with a security guard at the office of my attorneys in Abuja, addressed to Abu Bakr Marshall.
01:39I find your horrendous attempt at holding an unwarranted brief for the president not only insidious but fundamentally defective, flawed in principle, and absolutely unlawful.
01:49The state security service was not created as a security institution.
01:54The SSS, now self-styled as the DSS, began as the E. Department Special Branch, an office established in 1948 and initially located in the office of the Inspector General of Police.
02:07It was later renamed the National Security Organization, NSO, but on June 5, 1986, the Federal Military Government issued Decree No. 19, dissolving the NSO and unbundling it into three entities.
02:22The SSS for domestic intelligence, the NIA for external intelligence and counterintelligence, and the DIA for military-related intelligence.
02:30While the NIA and DIA largely kept faith with their mandates, the SSS under successive Director Generals has consistently acted bullishly, illegally, and unlawfully, serving as a ready tool of oppression for dictatorial regimes bent on breaking rules and repressing the rights of the Nigerian people.
02:50Thus, it is no surprise that you have once again resumed repressive hostility against me.
02:57In 1993, while I was Student Union President at the University of Lagos, policemen abducted me from the university gate during a peaceful pro-democracy protest.
03:08I was taken to your Lagos office after being driven around with my head tucked under a seat.
03:14From our lower way in Okoye, I was detained unlawfully for weeks at the notorious inter-center near Okoye Cemetery.
03:22It took several days of lecture boycotts to force your hand to release me without charges.
03:27Again, in January and June 1996, during and after my National Youth Service Corps in Yola, Adamawa State, your men detained me and later transferred me to the Nigerian Air Force Base, where I was held in hand and leg chains for over a week before release, again without charges.
03:47My NYSC discharge certificate has been denied to me to this day because of your unlawful detention.
03:53In August 2019, DSS agents invaded my hotel room, abducted me, and detained me for months over trumped-up allegations of treasonable felony, money laundering, and cybercrime.
04:07It was your first attempt to falsely accuse me of insulting a sitting president.
04:12That failed, as did every other false accusation advanced against me by the government through the SSS and police.
04:19During that period, you flouted several court judgments.
04:24Most disgracefully, your men invaded a federal high court presided by Justice Ijeoma Rajuku to abduct me even after bail conditions were met.
04:33To this day, you continue to refuse to obey two court judgments ordering the return of my confiscated properties, including several mobile phones and payment of damages.
04:43You and your ilk have dragged me through unscrupulous abuse and gross violations of rights for decades without remorse.
04:51In 2021, during the inglorious Fuhari years, your agency propped up a sham group, the incorporated trustees of Global Integrity Crusade Network,
05:01to sue Sahara Reporters and me on behalf of the criminally-minded Attorney General of the Federation, Abu Bakr Malami, Sam.
05:10They prayed the court to compel me and others to pay Malami 2 billion nairas for alleged trauma and emotional stress caused by Sahara Reporters' publications in July 2020.
05:20In his judgment, Justice Obiora Aguatu awarded 100,000 nairas against the litigants, affirming the argument of our attorney, Marshal Abu Bakr,
05:31that they had no right to sue on Malami's behalf, just as you have no right to act as proxy for President Bola Ahmed Tanubu.
05:38Defamation, the judge reminded, is a personal tort.
05:43The AGF should have gone to court himself if he felt defamed.
05:48It is elementary that only the person defamed can sue.
05:51Therefore, your attempt to demand a retraction is an incompetent and unlawful attempt to hold the President's brief.
05:58Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution requires the press to uphold the government's responsibility and accountability to the people.
06:07Section 39 guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, to hold opinions, and to receive and impart information without interference.
06:17Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights provides the same.
06:23Even in the UK, sedition and libel laws have been repealed as archaic relics of a bygone era.
06:29The UN Human Rights Committee in General Comment No. 34 has declared a free, uncensored media essential to democracy.
06:38Courts across Africa, including Zimbabwe's Supreme Court and the African Court in Issa Kanate v. Burkina Faso,
06:46have ruled that criminal defamation is unjustifiable in a democracy.
06:49Nigeria's own Court of Appeal, in Arthur Nawankwo v. State, 1985, struck down sedition laws when Nawankwo was convicted for criticizing Governor Jim Inwobodo.
07:02The court held that sedition was unconstitutional and inimical to free speech.
07:07Justice Adekaye, in IGP v. ANPP, asked how long Nigerians must suffer under colonial-era public order ordinances designed to gag dissent.
07:18Criticism is indispensable in a democracy.
07:22Freedom of speech includes the right to say what those in power find uncomfortable.
07:27Justice Ola Tawara reminded us that citizens must defend their hard-won freedom of expression,
07:33and that those in public office must not be intolerant of criticism.
07:37Where boundaries are crossed, the remedy is civil libel, not unlawful repression.
07:42The DSS's desire to please the powers that be has always destroyed institutions while building, strong men.
07:50But where are those strong men today, after your service broke laws and trampled rights to protect them?
07:56Rather than vilification, we should be commended for living up to our constitutional responsibility to hold leaders accountable.
08:03I am glad you made reference to my constant desire to seek change,
08:09the very drive that led me to run for the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
08:14even though my commitments and convictions predate partisan political endeavors.
08:19It is from that same line of conviction that I have adopted an uncompromising stance,
08:25ensuring that this country does not continue down the path of perdition.
08:28You have no business telling me how to criticize the President.
08:33But, knowing the nature of your service, it is clear you have not learned your lessons.
08:39Let me state it clearly once again.
08:41The determination of the Nigerian people to reclaim their country from thieves in power is unwavering.
08:47And it shall be achieved.
08:49Freedom cometh by struggle.
08:51Aluta Continua.
08:53Victoria Asserta.
08:54Yours in unwavering service to Nigeria.
08:57Omiyele Saware, former Presidential Candidate, African Action Congress, AAC, stated.
09:05Osa Soa Konnede, bringing you the news in a more digital world.
09:10Osa Soa Konnede, bringing you the news in a more digital world.
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