The Department of State Service (DSS) has released Pius Awoke, the Ebonyi-based lawyer who was arrested on July 21, 2021.

This is happening one month after FIJ’s publication on the matter.

Kelechi Anwu, a colleague of Awoke, who first spoke to FIJ about the issue in May, said that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was triggered to look into the case after FIJ’s publication.

“The NBA responded to the case because they read your article, which I made sure to circulate,” he told FIJ on Saturday.

“It is the link they got from the WhatsApp platform, even though they are refusing to acknowledge they got it from your article. I am grateful to God that they were able to acknowledge the issue and that they made efforts.

“Thank you, FIJ. You are the only media channel that agreed to hear our story and published the continued detention of Barr. Pius Awoke.”

In a statement released on Friday and shared with FIJ, NBA said Awoke was released from custody alongside one Onyiba Emmanuel Chinonso, a computer science student at Ebonyi State University.

“I am pleased to inform you that I have, today, 21 June 2024, secured the release of our colleague, Pius 1. Awoke, Esq of Abakaliki Branch from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS). He was released alongside one Onyiba Emmanuel Chinonso, a computer science student of Ebonyi State University, who was arrested and detained with Mr. Awoke,” the NBA statement reads in part.

FIJ reported on May 23 that Awoke, who was arrested by the DSS while traveling from Ebonyi to Abuja on July 21, was still being held. A source had revealed that the agency refused to charge him in court or grant him bail as prescribed by the constitution.

“Awoke was travelling from Ebonyi to Abuja when officials of the DSS stopped his commercial vehicle and arrested him. They arrested all the men who were on the bus, including him, thinking they were of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sect,” the source told FIJ.

“No one said anything to us for a long time; then later, they said he was being held for terrorism. But even this was a rumour; we had no official statement about the charge against him from the DSS, as lawyers and relatives were barred from interfacing with it.”

The lawyer was released on Saturday after spending about three years in detention.

https://fij.ng/article/after-fijs-story-dss-releases-ebonyi-lawyer-detained-since-2021/

Imagine being detained by DSS since 2021 without any charge.

Wasting a persons life like it's nothing

What a Jungle Nation

Lawless DSS does it all the time even though the law says you must charge a suspect to court within 3 days of arrest

Over 30 guys were travelling with this Lawyer in a Bus, all 30 men are still held in detention by the DSS without charge since July 2021

gidgiddy:
Lawless DSS does it all the time even though the law says you must charge a suspect to court within 3 days of arrest

It's unimaginable bro

You waste 3-4 years of someone's life and would have wasted more if not for a Press Story.

What type of wickedness do we practice in this country?

instructions from oga at d top,!

He ought to sue for wrongful arrest.

VaselineCrew:


It's unimaginable bro

You waste 3-4 years of someone's life and would have wasted more if not for a Press Story.

What type of wickedness do we practice in this country?

DSS do this all the time, arrest people and hold them for years without charge. There was a case last year where the DSS stormed a guys house, arrested him and bundled him away. The family actually thought it was kidnappers and waited for ransom. After 2 years of of not hearing from the guy, the family did burial for him believing that the kidnappers had killed him, only to find out later that the guy was in DSS custody Abuja all along. After three years, the DSS just released the guy like that, no charge, no explanation. To this day, the guy does not know what he did wrong

Alright

He should sue FG fir N500m.

Validated:
He should sue FG fir N500m.

ZOO government won't pay

Very lawless sect if people.

Hmmmm. I sell quality cloths, see my thread/topic for details

Good to know.

When Nigeria happens to you, you'll regret ever being born here.

That much...... He should press charges and be compensated.

Nigeria is really scary!
Injustice everywhere!
If a man that spent half a decade studying the laws of Nigeria can be treated this way, omo the rest of us na OYO

What about others?

This country ehn
Hmm!!!

It's not just the 4 wasted years. The psychological trauma alone is enough to ruin his entire life. A lawless country indeed.

VaselineCrew:


It's unimaginable bro

You waste 3-4 years of someone's life and would have wasted more if not for a Press Story.

What type of wickedness do we practice in this country?

They should continue making enemies out of the people who are supposed to be on their side, one day they won't have enough guns to hold back the people's anger that's already overflowing from provocation.

Democracy

VaselineCrew:


https://fij.ng/article/after-fijs-story-dss-releases-ebonyi-lawyer-detained-since-2021/

Imagine being detained by DSS since 2021 without any charge.

Wasting a persons life like it's nothing

Oboy d Guy don chop free food tired

Is this a country?

What a shame!

Speechless

Hmm my Corntree , this is what you get when agencies is full of one side of country people

VaselineCrew:


https://fij.ng/article/after-fijs-story-dss-releases-ebonyi-lawyer-detained-since-2021/

Imagine being detained by DSS since 2021 without any charge.

Wasting a persons life like it's nothing

I no go gree sha.i go kill atkeast two of the officers then ready to die.nobody can do this to me.I am too ready to die for such.

victim of nnamdi kanu !