News, Politics

Osinbajo vs DSS: The Hidden Rift Over Sowore’s Arrest

Published by Akinwale Fakinlede on September 1st, 2025.

The detention of Omoyele Sowore, activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, did not just spark outrage across Nigeria’s civic space; it also reportedly triggered an under-the-radar standoff between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Sowore was arrested in August 2019 ahead of his planned “Revolution Now” protest, with the DSS citing alleged threats to national security. His prolonged detention, despite multiple court orders granting bail, quickly turned the case into a litmus test for Nigeria’s democracy and rule of law.

Tensions in High Places

Insiders familiar with the matter suggest that then-Vice President Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and law professor, was deeply uncomfortable with the DSS’s hardline stance. He reportedly pressed for compliance with judicial rulings, warning that ignoring them undermined the government’s credibility both at home and abroad.

However, the DSS, acting under what many believed to be “orders from above,” resisted immediate compliance. This created a quiet but significant friction between Osinbajo’s camp, which advocated adherence to constitutional safeguards, and the security establishment determined to treat Sowore’s activism as a national threat.

A Test of Institutions

The episode exposed a broader institutional dilemma: the tug-of-war between Nigeria’s executive leadership and its security agencies. While Osinbajo was said to have leaned toward constitutionalism, the DSS projected itself as guardian of state stability, often blurring the lines between lawful dissent and subversion.

Observers note that this rift was more than a personal disagreement; it reflected Nigeria’s struggle to balance security priorities with democratic freedoms. For Osinbajo, who had built his image as a progressive legal mind, the Sowore affair posed reputational risks. For the DSS, it was a demonstration of power and loyalty to the presidency.

Lessons From the Rift

Although Sowore was eventually released, the controversy left lingering questions. Did the Vice President lack sufficient authority to rein in the DSS? Or did the confrontation reveal the deep autonomy of Nigeria’s security apparatus, sometimes beyond civilian oversight?

What remains clear is that the Sowore detention saga was not just about one activist. It symbolized the hidden battles within Nigeria’s corridors of power—where even top government officials like Osinbajo found themselves at odds with the very institutions meant to serve dem

ocratic governance.