The Department of State Services (DSS) is not interested in arresting anyone over the shadow government being proposed by a group led by the 2007 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Patrick Utomi.

The agency’s lead counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), made the declaration on Wednesday shortly after filing a fresh application before the Federal High Court in Abuja for an interlocutory injunction restraining Utomi from further commenting publicly or engaging in rallies related to a suit pending against him over his announced plan to establish a shadow government in the country.

Kehinde, who spoke with journalists, said, “Our client is not interested in arresting anybody on this matter, having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

“It must be pointed out that our client, under its current leadership, is a very civilised organisation with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why its leadership or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel, like the case instituted against SERAP by some of its personnel, is being compromised. Let the court have the final say.

“Gentlemen, we must all ensure that constitutional democracy and the rule of law have its way in Nigeria.

“It is good that, as members of the fourth estate of the realm, you keep watch over the case filed against the formation of the ‘Shadow Government’ by Pat Utomi and his group.

“The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

“We, as counsel to the SSS, have just filed an application seeking an interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit.

“The application, being a public document, can be obtained from the registry of the Honourable court.”