The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop Professor Pat Utomi and his group from organising rallies, protests, or any public gathering in connection to the ongoing case against him.
The fresh application was filed as part of the ongoing legal battle over Utomi’s plan to form what he called a “shadow government” in Nigeria.
The request, submitted through DSS lawyer Akinlolu Kehinde, came as the agency expressed concerns that Utomi, who is currently outside the country, intends to return on June 6 and carry out public activities, including rallies, interviews, and lectures.
According to the DSS, these actions may interfere with the pending case and cause tension across the country.
In an earlier suit, the DSS accused Utomi, a former presidential candidate, of plotting to create a parallel government.
The agency said this move challenges the existing constitutional order.
The court had already scheduled June 25 to hear the main case.
However, the new motion filed on Wednesday seeks an order that would prevent Utomi and his allies from going ahead with any public actions before the case is decided.
The DSS argued that allowing the planned activities to take place could disturb peace and possibly lead to violence similar to what happened during the End SARS protests in 2020.
Through intelligence reports, the agency claimed that the upcoming rallies could attract large crowds and create unrest that may endanger lives and property.
The agency also mentioned that during a recent event at the University of Lagos, Utomi openly defended the idea of a shadow government.
According to the DSS, his statements during that programme, along with other public remarks and media appearances, aim to sway public opinion and influence the outcome of the case before the court.
The DSS insisted that it had already served Utomi legal documents related to the case, and he had acknowledged them through his legal team led by Prof. Mike Ozekhome. It stressed that unless the court intervenes, Utomi’s actions might complicate the case further.
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