Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has filed a ₦5 billion lawsuit against the Department of State Services (DSS) and three other defendants over an alleged assault and forcible removal from the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2480/2026, was instituted on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, against the DSS, its Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and a deputy director of the security agency, Benjamin Bulus.
Sowore is asking the court to determine whether the actions of DSS operatives during the incident violated his fundamental rights, particularly his rights to dignity and personal liberty.
According to the court processes, the activist is seeking ₦5 billion in aggravated damages over the alleged treatment he received at the court premises.
Sowore alleged that the incident occurred on June 22, 2026, after Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The remand order reportedly followed proceedings concerning his application for a stay of the order revoking his bail and the bench warrant issued against him.
Sowore claimed that he was waiting for correctional officers to arrive and implement the order when armed DSS operatives stormed the fourth floor of the court building.
He alleged that some of the operatives, including men and women wearing hoods, physically assaulted him before forcibly removing him from the area.
The activist further claimed that he was taken against his will to the basement of the court complex through elevators reserved for Federal High Court judges, sustaining physical injuries in the process.
Activist Challenges DSS Operatives’ Conduct
In his suit, Sowore argued that the judicial order directing his remand did not authorise DSS operatives to assault him, forcibly remove him or subject him to degrading treatment.
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He is asking the court to examine whether the security personnel acted beyond the scope of the remand order and whether their conduct amounted to a violation of his constitutionally protected rights.
The case places particular emphasis on the distinction between carrying out a judicial order and allegedly using force in a manner not authorised by the court.
Sowore is seeking judicial redress over what he describes as an infringement of his fundamental rights.
Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Footage Cited As Evidence
A key aspect of the case is video footage allegedly captured during the incident using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
According to the court documents, Sowore intends to rely on the recording as evidence of the events surrounding his alleged assault and the actions of the DSS operatives involved.
The footage is expected to form part of the evidence presented in support of his claims as the court considers the dispute.