The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to restrain Professor Pat Utomi from organising rallies or making public statements in relation to a pending suit concerning his plans to establish a shadow government in Nigeria.
The request, filed on Wednesday, comes amid reports that Utomi—currently abroad—is scheduled to return to Nigeria on June 6, with plans for protests, roadshows, media interviews, and other related engagements upon his arrival.
In the application, the DSS urged the court to grant an interlocutory injunction barring Utomi, his associates, agents, or anyone acting on his behalf from “staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programs, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme(s)” intended to promote the purported shadow government until the substantive suit is determined.
The DSS, through its legal representative Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), argued that Utomi’s planned actions constitute “a serious threat to public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The agency said it is empowered to safeguard internal security and prevent any threat to lawful authority in the country. According to the DSS, intelligence reports suggest that Utomi’s intended rallies and public engagements are “likely to cause public discontent” and “huge disruption of peace,” similar to the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
“All the planned protests, riots and agitations that will ensue, if the purported actions of the defendant/respondent are not stayed, may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, loss of lives and property,” the DSS stated in a supporting affidavit.
The agency also referred to Utomi’s remarks on May 26 during a lecture at the University of Lagos titled “Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity”. The DSS claimed Utomi made public statements during the event that undermined the ongoing court proceedings and promoted the concept of a shadow government.
Furthermore, the DSS said Utomi had indicated that if the court ruled against the initiative, he and his group would continue under a different name. It added that Utomi had already been served court processes and had entered an appearance through his counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on May 20.
The DSS urged the court to act promptly to prevent Utomi’s actions from creating a situation that could preempt or undermine the legal process.
The court is expected to consider the application in the coming days.
