CITIZENS COMPASS– A Federal High Court in Lagos has granted permission to the Department of State Services (DSS) to remand three employees of the Lagos State House of Assembly for allegedly assaulting its officers.
The duo, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen, and Fatimoh Oluwatosin Adetola, were initially arrested following the crisis at the Assembly complex on Monday, February 17, 2025.
They were granted bail on Saturday night after the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, intervened. However, during a court session on Tuesday, Justice Daniel Osiagor ordered their remand after DSS counsel, Mr. Michael Bajela, requested their arraignment, stating the need to review the case file before proceeding.
According to the charge sheet (FHC/L/273C/2025) dated February 24, 2025, the DSS alleges that the defendants, along with others still at large, conspired to assault DSS officers performing their official duties without valid justification. The charges also include cyberstalking, accusing the defendants of recording and disseminating false information on social media to incite public disorder. Specifically, the DSS claims that Abdulkareem and Samsudeen used electronic devices to record and share misleading content intended to discredit the agency and provoke unrest.
The alleged offenses are said to contravene Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and Sections 27(1)(b), 24(1)(b), 24(c)(i), and 11 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended), 2024.
Mr. Falana confirmed the initial release of the individuals, stating, “I intervened by contacting the Director General of the State Security Service. Upon our intervention, the DG ordered that they be granted bail. They met the bail conditions and were released last night.”
