There was pandemonium at the entrance of the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday as operatives chased protesters who were there to demand the release of Revolution Now convener, Omoyele Sowore.
The protesters, who were led by Deji Adeyanju, had gathered outside the DSS headquarters and had marched towards the gate where they sat down as they chanted songs of solidarity and displayed various placards.
Thereafter, while Adeyanju was addressing journalists, operatives of the DSS who had been standing around keeping the situation got hostile and order everyone to leave the place.
They threatened to knock the people down and actually drove their trucks towards the journalists who jumped out of the way for their safety.
While this was going on some of them started shooting sporadically into the air. Tear gas was also sprayed. The situation broke into pandemonium as the operatives chased everyone on their power motorcycles and trucks, and even threatening to shoot.
Earlier Adeyanju said they were at the DSS to collect Sowore, following a court order that ordered his release.
He alleged that they were given a bribe of N1 million at gunpoint to abandon the cause of pursuing Sowore’s freedom, but he refused to say from who, it came from.
While brandishing alleged bribe which was in N500 notes, he said they were going to return it to the people that gave it to them, as they were not going to abandon the cause.
“We are here at the DSS headquarters. When we said we were going to come and stand in as physical surety for Sowore, many Nigerians said we like to take risk. But true to our word, we came here on Saturday because thy had by themselves told us the reason they did not release him was because there was nobody to receive him and collect and they played all kinds of pranks with us. We gave a promise that we would come here today being the first working day of the week and we would come and tell them to release our property and our friend and brother and fellow comrade. Since that day we have received all kinds of threat.
“We would never compromise. They said we should not come out today. They made all kinds of promises to us at gunpoint. But we would not be deterred.
“We have come here to say that the money they gave us, we do not want because it was given to us at gunpoint. We don’t want the money. They should take their money. If they don’t take their money by the end of today, we are going to give it to Femi Falana so he can use it to augment some of the legal bills of Sowore and expenses. For us our hearts are always true to the cause.
“Some people have said they would kill me. If the kill me would I be the first Nigerian to be killed. Would I be the last? I am not mentioning any name. But we are waiting for them to say what we have said is a lie. If they like they should kill us. I have given my life to Christ. God remains my eternal hope. In him alone do I put all my trust and we would never be cowed.
“The people that gave us the money, they know themselves and they know the circumstances under which they gave us the money. So the people that gave the money know themselves and we that they gave the money, we also know those that gave the money. We have chosen not to say something now. Everything would always unravel itself,” he said.
