An insult to our Democracy says LAWSAN – TheNigerialawyer

The Law Students Association of Nigeria has bared its mind on
the arrest of Omoleye Sowore at the Federal High Court Abuja on the
6th of December, 2019. In a statement made available to
TheNigerianLawyer (TNL) dated the 7th Day of December, 2019 and
signed by Emmanuel Nwobodo, the LAWSAN president, the student’s
body condemns the arrest as being illegal.

Read the full statement below:

“We have followed, with great concern, the unfortunate news of
the arrest of Sowore. It is saddening and embarrassing that the
arrest was effected inside the court. This is bizarre, to say the
least. It is totally illegal.

“For the avoidance of doubt, section 43 of the Administration of
Criminal Justice Act, 2015 provides as follows:

43. (1) A warrant of arrest may be executed on any
day, including a Sunday or public holiday.
(2) A warrant of arrest may be executed by any police
officer at any time and in any place in any State other than within
the actual courtroom in which a court is sitting.

“The above provision is clear and unambiguous that a person
shall not be arrested inside court. But unfortunately, the DSS took
law unto their own hands. We therefore condemn in stronger terms
the act of the DSS.

“This is totally unacceptable. To our very before, the rule of
law was buried. Our democracy was buried and raped. The holy temple
of justice was defiled in broad day light!

“Ours is a constitutional democracy founded on Rule of Law, not
dictatorship and anything outside rule of law is an invitation to
anarchy. We are calling on President Buhari to act fast as the
image of the country is at stake. The service of those at the helms
of affairs of the DSS should be disengaged for behind this
illegality.”

Emmanuel Nwobodo,
President,
Law Students Association of Nigeria