The Department of State Services has refused to release five youths arrested at Dunamis Gospel Church for wearing ‘Buhari Must Go’ shirts.
The youths were arrested by the DSS while leaving Dunamis headquarters, Abuja, on Sunday.
On Monday, human rights activists – Omoyele Sowore and Deji Adeyanju – visited the Senior Pastor of the church, Paul Enenche.
Briefing journalists after their meeting with the Enenche, Adeyanju quoted Enenche as saying that he had no hand in the arrest of the five youths.
He further quoted the cleric as saying that the youths did not stage a protest inside the church auditorium and that he would ensure that the youths are released.
Adeyanju said, “He (Enenche) was preaching when the incident happened and it was three hours later, after the third service that he was informed of what happened and he had even taken steps to ensure that they are released but you know the overzealous security agencies we have in this country.”
He added that the church had no hand in the arrest of the youths from all indications.
Also speaking, Sowore said he had been able to confirm that it was indeed the DSS that arrested the youths.
“The DSS was lying. We have confirmed that they (arrested youths) were taken to the DSS,” Sowore said.
However, the short press briefing which was held on the fringe of the church premises, took a dramatic turn when an armed policeman asked everyone to leave.
When the policeman was challenged, he threatened to shoot journalists saying, “I will kill somebody here,” just as he complained about being captured by a reporter’s camera.
The Spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunaya, asked our correspondent to send him a text message when he was contacted on Monday. He had, however, yet to respond to an inquiry as of press time.
