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An activist, Olawale Bakare, popularly known as Mandate, who is standing trial with the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, has been declared missing.
Operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS) had stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning during the commencement of their trial and disrupted proceedings in an attempt to forcefully rearrest the two men.
However, after facing resistance from other activists inside the courtroom, the DSS operatives retreated outside to lay ambush.
The situation led to tension within the court premises for several minutes.
Counsel to the two men, Femi Falana(SAN), was said to have taken the defendants in his car to the DSS headquarters where they were said to have been detained.
But Sahara Reporters has now claimed that only Sowore, who was in Falana’s vehicle as they left the court, was submitted back to the DSS.
According to the medium, operatives of the agency are currently searching for Bakare in different parts of Abuja.
It reported that armed security personnel in their search for the young activist, stormed Falana’s chamber in Abuja this afternoon, searching for Bakare.
A lawyer at the chamber confirmed to Sahara Reporters that armed DSS operatives visited the place looking for Bakare after claiming that he was not in their facility.
The lawyer, who asked not to be named, said: “DSS operatives just stormed our chamber now looking for Olawale Bakare.
“They claimed it was discovered he was not with them by the time they arrived their office.
“They are currently searching everywhere for him. We are hoping that he is safe wherever he is.”
Sowore and Bakare were released on Thursday evening, before being rearrested on Friday after DSS filed fresh charges against them.
Bakare was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State, on August 5, 2019 for participating in the #RevolutionNow protest.