Also, at the exercise held within the premises of Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, the trainees were engaged in the area of inter-agencies relations, to better position them for the task of assisting in crime prevention.

Addressing the participants at the closing session of the training on Monday, the National Provost, NHFSS, Kehinde Ogunlade, harped on the importance of training for security volunteers to keep them abreast of their duties.

Speaking in a similar vein, Osun Commander of the NHFSS, Ahmed Nureni, said the participants were trained by officers from the Osun State Command of Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Immigration Service.

Nureni further said, “We have 1,200 hunters that came from all parts of Osun State for the 4-day training. Officers of the Nigeria Police Osun State Command, NSCDC, DSS, and the Immigration Service were here to train our men on their responsibilities.

“The participants were separated into different groups and the trainers took them through different aspects of our job.

“More importantly, they were trained on how to relate with conventional security organizations to achieve maximum results in keeping the environment safe for residents of the state. We also had training on intelligence gathering.

“We hope to keep doing this regularly. It is part of our plans for hunters in this state. We know every part of the state and the forests around. We have resolved to contribute our quota by assisting conventional security organizations but we can’t do it without acquiring relevant knowledge.”

A statement signed by Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, the state secret police, said there were none of its officers involved in the incidents recorded in the courtroom.

See the full statement below….

“It has become important that the Department of State Services responds to the serial misinformation being circulated in the media about its involvement in the incident that occurred on 6th December, 2019 at the Federal High Court, Abuja. It is instructive to note that during the court proceeding of the day under reference, Defence Counsel, Femi FALANA (SAN), called the attention of the Judge to a suspicion that the Service was planning to re-arrest Omoyele SOWORE immediately after the court session. The Court discountenanced his alarm and asserted that the Service was law abiding and would not engage in such and subsequently adjourned to February, 2020.  However, when SOWORE stepped out of the court and sighted operatives of the Service within the premises, he ran back into the courtroom. In a bid to shield him from an imaginary arrest, his uncontrollable supporters mobbed him while chanting “you can’t arrest him” thus the pandemonium that ensued.  A critical look at the videos in circulation would convince any objective viewer that there was no DSS personnel during the entire period the Sowore crowd acted out its orchestrated drama. Its personnel were never, at any time, involved in the incident. In actual fact, it was his people who seized him. And from the latest developments, it has become obvious what the intent for such mischief was meant for – simply to serve a propagandist purpose as well as bring the Service to disrepute.  Eye witness and several media accounts have disclosed that the Court had adjourned peacefully without an untoward incident when suddenly the unruly crowd imported into the Courtroom went into frenzy on the mere suspicion that DSS was sighted at the court premises. The eventual re-arrest of Sowore by the DSS was effected outside the courtroom. His lead counsel has affirmed this.  The DSS, as a professional, responsible and law abiding Organization, could not have invaded a courtroom including the one presided over by a respected Judge who is not only handling its case but whose Order was unconditionally obeyed within a 24 hour ultimatum. The Service holds the judiciary in utmost respect and will continue to work with it for national peace and public safety in Nigeria. It has therefore become unarguable and raises a moral question as to who, between Sowore and the Service, dislikes or disobeys the Courts. In this regard, public attention may be drawn to the 25th July 2019 statement of SOWORE that “I’m not talking of protest. I’m embarking on revolution… Don’t tell me about legal implications or what a Judge will say. I don’t care …” On 5th December when SOWORE was released, he had, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja addressed a group of persons who, he reassured of his cause to create anarchy in the country.  It may be recalled that the Service had on 3rd December, 2019 raised alarm about a plot to destabilize the country. It is quite remarkable that the plot has already started playing out. To ensure this objective is further achieved, some persons and groups are scurrying to seize the opportunity of the misleading court incident and the wrong narrative against the DSS to organize an insurrection in the country. They have continued to falsely curry and mobilize international sentiments and attention, through clear misrepresentation of the facts, for their selfish ends. For emphasis, it should be noted that SOWORE is facing trial not as an activist, journalist or a politician, but for his resort to call for violence, forceful takeover of government and suspected transnational illegal activities. It is most unfortunate that SOWORE, shortly after being released from custody, based on court order, resorted to acts inimical to security. To this effect, only SOWORE has been re-arrested as his co-defendant, Olawale BAKARE, was not picked up even when FALANA had promised to deliver him to the Service that is not presently interested in him. Though sections of the populace have been fed with spurious narratives about these developments, Nigerians and the International Community should not be gullible or even vulnerable to the machinations of groups desirous of misleading them.  The Service is committed to the discharge of its mandate of detecting and preventing threats against the internal security of Nigeria. It supports democracy in the country and will do all that is legal to protect it. It will also ensure that efforts of anti-democratic forces are frustrated.

Peter Afunanya, Ph.D
Public Relations Officer,
Department of State Services,
National Headquarters,
Abuja
7th December, 2019

According to reports by Sahara Reporters, Omoyele was arrested in his apartment in the early hours of Saturday August 3rd. The DSS invaded his apartment with four trucks, seizing his phones and other electronic gadgets. His whereabouts is currently unknown.

Sowore posted a distress tweet at exactly 1:25 am with an eyewitness confirming that his phone was forcefully taken from him.

His arrest is rumoured to be connected with the #RevolutionNow protest which he is spearheading. #RevolutionNow is a series of planned protests against bad governance in Nigeria scheduled for August 5, 2019.