A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) to release Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare within the next 24 hours.

The presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu frowned at the Department of State Services for constituting itself into a parallel court and flouting orders.

She lampooned the DSS for demanding that the sureties of detained human rights activists come forward after she had signed a release warrant.

The judge also awarded an N100, 000 fine against the DSS over its delay to serve the defence counsel with the additional proof of evidence in the ongoing trial of Sowore and Olawale Bakare.

Ojukwu, while confronting the DSS’ lawyer, Hassan Liman, during the commencement of trial in a case of treason brought against the two activists by the government, maintained that the court had the final say on the matter.