Sowore calls out Elumelu as DSS orders freezing of protest organiser’s UBA account
A United Bank for Africa (UBA) account belonging to one of the organisers of the planned nationwide protest, the ‘Take It Back Movement,’ has been frozen following an instruction by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental body, has been at the forefront of galvanising the citizens on social media for the planned 10-day nationwide demonstrations against bad governance in Nigeria dubbed Days of Rage.
On Friday, July 26, 2024, human rights activist, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, wrote the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on behalf of the movement to inform the police authorities of the planned protest.
Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also stated that the planned rallies will commence from August 1 to August 10, 2024, or at any time thereafter at the Eagle Square in Abuja and other public spaces in the capital cities of all the 36 states and the headquarters of the 774 local government councils.
This comes after the Police, the DSS and the Nigerian Army warned that the proposed protests have the potential to snowball into chaos and anarchy.
The DSS specifically claimed that organisers of the demonstration desired to take advantage of the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments and pit them against the masses with a long-term objective of forcing a regime change, especially at the centre.
Meanwhile, in a post on its X on Friday, TIBmovement announced that its account had been frozen by UBA on the order of the DSS.
The group described the bank’s action as lawless and asked for a reversal of the action within 24 hours without which a legal action will be instituted.
“It has now come to our attention that @UBAGroup has frozen our account on the instructions of the DSS over our involvement in the forthcoming protest.
‘We describe this action as lawless, and demand our account be unfrozen immediately within the next 24 hours, without which a legal action will be instituted against @UBAGroup,” TIBmovement posted on X.
Sowore slams Elumelu and DSS
Reacting to the development, fiery social commentator and #RevolutionNow proponent Omoyele Sowore called out the DSS, the bank and its owner Tony Elumelu for what it described as an act of cowardice and conspiracy.
He warned the entities that the Nigerian people have been let down by their actions at such a critical time in the life of the nation.
“Lawless @OfficialDSSNG will learn a hard lesson soon, and @UBAGroup, @TonyOElumelu for this act of cowardice and conspiracy, the people of Nigeria that you’re letting down at this critical moment in history will let you down soon, too! #DaysOfRage,” Sowere wrote quoting the TIBmovement posted.
In a separate post, the Sahara Reporters publisher announced that the group’s lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, has written to UBA demanding it to reopen the frozen account.
Posting a copy of the letter, Sowore said legal proceedings would be instituted against the bank if it failed to undo the DSS order.
“Our lawyer, @InibeheEffiong, has written to @UBAGroup @TonyOElumelu to demand that @UBAGroup reopen the frozen bank accounts of @TIBmovement closed at the prompting of the @OfficialDSSNG earlier today,” he wrote.
