Human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher Omoyele Sowore has filed a ₦5 billion lawsuit against the Department of State Services (DSS), its Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, the Attorney-General of the Federation and a deputy director of the service, Benjamin Bulus, over an alleged assault and forcible removal from the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Sowore is seeking aggravated damages over the incident, which he alleged occurred on June 22, 2026, within the court premises.
The suit, filed on October 13, 2026, is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2480/2026. It seeks to enforce his fundamental rights to dignity and personal liberty under Sections 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
According to a statement by his lawyer, Peter Femi Joseph of FEMJOE & Associates, Sowore alleged that armed, hooded DSS operatives attacked him on the fourth floor of the court building before forcibly taking him to the basement.
The activist claimed the operation went beyond the scope of a court order directing that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his application for a stay of the order revoking his bail and the bench warrant issued against him.
According to the statement, Sowore was waiting for correctional officers to arrive and carry out the remand order when the DSS operatives allegedly stormed the fourth floor of the court building.
He claimed the operatives assaulted him and forcibly moved him to the basement using elevators reserved for judges.
Sowore further alleged that he sustained injuries during the incident, arguing that the remand order did not authorise security operatives to assault, intimidate or subject him to degrading treatment.
The lawsuit names Ajayi in his capacity as DSS director-general, while Bulus is identified as a deputy director and the operative who allegedly led the operation.
Through the suit, Sowore is asking the court to hold the defendants accountable for the alleged violations of his constitutional rights and award him ₦5 billion in aggravated damages.
A key piece of evidence in the case is video footage Sowore reportedly recorded using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses during the alleged incident.
His lawyer said the footage forms part of the materials presented for the court’s consideration and is intended to support the activist’s account of what transpired inside the court building.
The footage is expected to be central to Sowore’s attempt to substantiate his allegations concerning the conduct of the DSS operatives and the circumstances surrounding his alleged forcible removal.
The allegations remain claims presented in the lawsuit, and the court is yet to determine the case based on the information provided.
