Deji Adeyanju Condemns DSS, Police Militarisation of Court, Says Nigeria Not Under Military Rule
Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, Esq., has strongly condemned the heavy deployment of security operatives at the Federal High Court in Abuja during proceedings involving activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, describing the development as an affront to democracy and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Adeyanju criticized the presence of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), police officers, and other security personnel around the court premises, insisting that such a display of force has no place in a democratic society.
“The heavy deployment of DSS operatives, police officers, and other security personnel at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is a spectacle that has no place in a democratic society,” Adeyanju stated.
He warned against turning courts into intimidating security zones where lawyers, litigants, journalists, and ordinary citizens are subjected to fear, harassment, and restrictions in accessing justice.
According to the activist-lawyer, Nigeria is not under military rule and its judicial institutions must not be treated as extensions of the country’s security agencies.
“The judiciary is a co-equal arm of government whose independence and dignity must be jealously protected,” he said.
Adeyanju further argued that any action capable of undermining the sanctity of the courts or creating the impression of intimidation and executive overreach strikes at the very foundation of constitutional democracy and should be unequivocally condemned.
The fiery statement comes amid growing concerns from civil society groups and legal practitioners over the increasing presence of security operatives during high-profile court proceedings, with critics warning that such actions could erode public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.
Adeyanju called on authorities to respect the integrity of the judicial process and ensure that court premises remain spaces where justice is dispensed freely, without fear or intimidation.
“Nigeria is a democracy, not a military regime. The courts must remain temples of justice, not theatres of intimidation,” he declared.
