Femi Falana: Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist
Prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, has criticized the bail condition imposed on Omoyele Sowore, calling it illegal.
According to DAILY POST, Sowore, who was summoned by the Nigerian Police on Monday, was initially asked to provide a level 16 civil servant and surrender his international passport as part of his bail conditions.
Sowore, a well-known activist and politician, rejected these conditions and chose to remain in police custody.
In a recent update, Sowore shared on Facebook that police officers handling his case informed him that the Deputy Inspector General of the FID, Dasuki Galandachi, had reassessed the conditions. The new requirement was reduced to just a surety from a level 16 civil servant.
However, Falana pointed out that such a condition had already been deemed illegal by the Court of Appeal. In a letter to the police, Falana wrote: “Thank you for reducing Mr. Sowore’s bail condition to a surety from a level 16 civil servant. However, I must highlight that this condition was ruled illegal by the Court of Appeal in the case of Dasuki v. Director-General, SSS [2020] 10 NWLR PT.1731 PG. 136-143, where Adah JCA (now JSC) stated that involving civil servants or public officers in bail conditions is not standard practice in Nigeria or any other developed country.”
Falana emphasized that the public service rules do not allow such conditions and that it contradicts the fight against corruption. He concluded by calling for the removal of such requirements involving civil servants below the level 16 grade in bail matters.
