Sowore Blasts DSS: ‘How Can Guardians Of Justice Beg For Clearance?

Renowned activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has strongly criticized the reported plan by the Department of State Services (DSS) to screen lawyers recently shortlisted for elevation to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The controversy erupted after senior lawyer Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), on Monday, denounced the alleged DSS involvement, describing it as unlawful and a direct threat to the independence of the legal profession.

Akinboro cautioned that subjecting SAN nominees to secret police scrutiny could undermine judicial integrity and erode the profession’s ability to regulate itself.

Reacting on his official handle Tuesday, Sowore lamented what he described as the collapse of courage and conviction within Nigeria’s institutions.

He wrote:
“Nearly every sector in Nigeria has surrendered, crippled by the weight of individual and collective weaknesses. The decay of courage and conviction is everywhere. Imagine the DSS now screening Senior Advocates of Nigeria—the supposed guardians of justice reduced to seeking clearance from agents of oppression. C’est fini. Nigeria is down!”

As of press time, the DSS had neither confirmed nor denied reports of its involvement in the alleged screening.

In July 2025, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) shortlisted 57 legal practitioners for SAN elevation, a move that has since triggered heated debates over judicial independence and the extent of state security interference in legal affairs.