The lead counsel representing Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), has clarified that the agency has no interest in arresting individuals associated with the proposed shadow government initiative led by Professor Pat Utomi, a former presidential candidate.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Kehinde made this clear while addressing journalists after submitting a legal application to the Federal High Court.
The DSS is seeking an interlocutory injunction to stop Utomi from making further public remarks or organizing rallies concerning his shadow government idea, which is already the subject of a pending court case.
“Our client is not interested in arresting anybody on this matter,” Kehinde said. He explained that the DSS had voluntarily brought the case before the court to allow for a legal interpretation of the Constitution and determine if Utomi’s plan to form a parallel government is lawful.
Kehinde noted that the DSS, under its current leadership, is committed to operating within the bounds of the law. He stressed that the agency prefers to seek judicial solutions when it believes its statutory role or the rights of its personnel are being challenged. “Let the court have the final say,” he added.
He further urged the media to monitor the developments closely, as the matter affects the country’s democratic framework. According to him, the lawsuit aligns with the DSS’s duty to protect internal peace and prevent acts that may threaten national unity or encourage unlawful behavior.
In the fresh court application, the DSS is asking for a temporary order to restrain Utomi and his associates from holding rallies, roadshows, lectures, or publishing materials that promote the so-called “shadow government.” This, Kehinde said, is to prevent public disorder while the court reviews the core issues of the case.
Although Utomi has not been arrested, the DSS counsel expressed concern over his continued public statements despite being formally served with the court documents. Kehinde noted, “Instead of waiting for the court’s decision, the defendant has kept making inflammatory comments that may stir unrest.”
He added that the application is based on intelligence reports suggesting that Utomi intends to return to Nigeria on June 6 and hold public events that could fuel dissatisfaction under the guise of exercising free speech.
Utomi had announced the formation of his shadow government on May 5 under the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government. His stated aim is to provide an organized opposition to the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
In response, the DSS filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025 on May 14 at the Federal High Court, accusing Utomi of attempting to illegitimately claim executive powers and destabilize the current government structure.
Kehinde maintained that what the DSS wants is not confrontation but legal clarification. “What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution,” he said, questioning whether a separate government body can be formed outside of the constitutional process.
