ABUJA — Activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has strongly condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) over its reported plan to screen newly designated Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).
Sowore made his position known in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, warning that such a move undermines the independence of Nigeria’s legal profession.
His reaction followed concerns raised on Monday by Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), who described the reported DSS involvement as “illegal” and a direct threat to the sanctity of the bar.
Decrying what he called a collapse of courage in Nigeria, Sowore wrote:
“Nigerians, at nearly every level, have capitulated, weighed down by the sheer force of their individual and collective weaknesses. The collapse of courage and conviction is everywhere you look. Imagine the @OfficialDSSNG now screening Senior Advocates of Nigeria. The so-called guardians of justice are reduced to seeking clearance from the very instruments of oppression. C’est fini. Nigeria is down!”
As of press time, the DSS had neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.
In July 2025, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) named 57 lawyers as candidates for elevation to the prestigious rank of SAN.
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