A Department of State Services (DSS) memo that officially orders the arrest of Omoyele Sowore, upon his return to Nigeria, has been leaked.
The memo, signed by a DSS official, Adeola D. Ali, under the directive of the newly appointed Director General of the DSS, Adeola Ajayi, cites Sowore’s involvement in the recent 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests.
The protests, which called for widespread reforms and the end of bad governance, were met with backlash from security agencies.
Sowore, founder of the news website, Sahara Reporters, contested for the presidential seat in the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
The newly surfaced memo confirms the directive and offers further insight into the level of surveillance being employed by the Nigerian secret police.
The memo, marked “DSE: 94/6203 X WATCHLIST ACTION,” outlines the plan for Sowore’s detainment and includes instructions for airport security.
It states, “The DGSS has approved the upgrading of WLA ‘B’ (Report arrival and destination by telephone immediately) to WLA ‘F’ (Detain traveller and escort with baggage to NHSS) against Omoyele Sowore, an activist/founder of Sahara Reporters Inc., an online news agency.”
The DSS memo explicitly calls for Sowore’s immediate detention and the confiscation of his baggage upon his arrival in Nigeria.
The timing of the directive coincides with rising tensions between activists and the government, as calls for better governance and an end to police brutality continue to grow.
This latest move by the DSS is part of an ongoing crackdown on activists, journalists, and opposition voices in Nigeria.
In recent months, the Nigerian government has faced criticism for its heavy-handed approach to dissent, with several high-profile activists, including Sowore, becoming targets of state repression.
Sowore, who has previously been arrested and detained by the DSS for his involvement in the #RevolutionNow movement, has continued to use his platform, SaharaReporters, to expose corruption and demand accountability from Nigerian leaders.