The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Abuja, urging the court to issue an interlocutory injunction to prevent Professor Patrick Utomi from making public comments, staging rallies, or engaging in activities related to his proposed “shadow government” while a substantive suit against him is pending.
The DSS, represented by its legal team led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), stated that Utomi, who is reportedly abroad and due to return on June 6, plans to organize protests, road shows, media interviews, and other activities to promote the establishment of a shadow government. The agency argues that these actions pose “a serious threat to public order, safety, and national unity” in Nigeria.
In the application, the DSS seeks to restrain Utomi, his agents, associates, or anyone acting on his behalf from staging public gatherings, media campaigns, or any activities aimed at promoting the shadow government until the court determines the substantive suit. The agency cited intelligence reports indicating that Utomi’s planned actions could lead to public discontent, riots, and disruptions similar to the 2020 End SARS protests, potentially causing “mayhem, anarchy, loss of lives, and property.”
The DSS highlighted that Utomi has been aware of the pending suit since May 20, 2025, having been served through courier as ordered by the court, and has entered an appearance through his counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN). The agency noted that Utomi’s recent statements, including those made on May 26 during the Topaz Lecture Series at the University of Lagos, hosted by the Mass Communication Class of 1988 Alumni Association, were aimed at undermining the ongoing legal process. In those statements, widely publicized in national newspapers and on social media, Utomi defended the shadow government concept and suggested that his group would adopt a different name if the DSS’s suit succeeds.
The DSS emphasized its statutory duty to safeguard Nigeria’s internal security and prevent threats to public order, arguing that granting the injunction is in the interest of justice, national security, and the rule of law. The agency warned that without court intervention, Utomi’s actions could present a fait accompli, undermining the judicial process.
