‘Saraki didn’t sponsor thugs to beat up observers at Kwara court’

Bamikole Omishore, special assistant on new media to
Senate President Bukola Saraki, says his principal did not sponsor
thugs to beat up observers at a high court in Kwara
state.

On Wednesday, there was pandemonium at the court when some thugs
unleashed violence on people who came to observe proceedings in the
libel case between the senate president and Omoyele Sowore,
publisher of Sahara Reporters.

The court had asked Sowore to pay Saraki N4 billion for
allegedly defaming him. But the activist is seeking a vacation of
the order.

Sowore gave his own account of what transpired at the court on
his Facebook page, alleging that thugs hired by the senate
president attacked his lawyers and supporters.

But in a statement sent to TheCable on Wednesday, Omishore
denied the allegation.

“It is absolutely false that supporters of the senate president
attacked anyone. It is on the record that Sowore has been making
frantic efforts to instigate people against Saraki,” he said.

“Sowore posted on his Facebook page a few days ago begging
people to come to court in Kwara state to his defence which failed,
that must have been why he paid two people to disrupt the court
proceedings.

“I was informed that two individuals were apprehended in Ilorin
Kwara state at the premises of the court for trying to cause a
fracas, during questioning they mentioned that they were paid by
Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters.

“Since the judge ruled against Sahara Reporters to pay damages
of N4 billion, Sowore has been running from pillar to post to
intimidate everyone including members of the judiciary. But the
time has come for that to stop and we are determined to follow this
to the letter.‎”

Bamikole Omishore, special assistant on new media to
Senate President Bukola Saraki, says his principal did not sponsor
thugs to beat up observers at a high court in Kwara state.

On Wednesday, there was pandemonium at the court when some thugs
unleashed violence on people who came to observe proceedings in the
libel case between the senate president and Omoyele Sowore,
publisher of Sahara Reporters.

The court had asked Sowore to pay Saraki N4 billion for
allegedly defaming him. But the activist is seeking a vacation of
the order.

Sowore gave his own account of what transpired at the court on
his Facebook page, alleging that thugs hired by the senate
president attacked his lawyers and supporters.

But in a statement sent to TheCable on Wednesday, Omishore
denied the allegation.

“It is absolutely false that supporters of the senate president
attacked anyone. It is on the record that Sowore has been making
frantic efforts to instigate people against Saraki,” he said.

“Sowore posted on his Facebook page a few days ago begging
people to come to court in Kwara state to his defence which failed,
that must have been why he paid two people to disrupt the court
proceedings.

“I was informed that two individuals were apprehended in Ilorin
Kwara state at the premises of the court for trying to cause a
fracas, during questioning they mentioned that they were paid by
Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters.

“Since the judge ruled against Sahara Reporters to pay damages
of N4 billion, Sowore has been running from pillar to post to
intimidate everyone including members of the judiciary. But the
time has come for that to stop and we are determined to follow this
to the letter.‎”