Abuja Court Nullifies DSS Suit to Further Detain Sunday Igboho’s Aides

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed a request filed by the Department of State Service (DSS) seeking to further detain four of the 12 aides of popular Yoruba self-determination campaigner; Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho.



According to reports, Justice Obiora Egwuatu dismissed the motion after counsel to the DSS, Idowu Awo, abruptly withdrew it.


On Tuesday, when the case was called, DSS counsel informed the court that he had decided not to proceed with the case because he had filed a notice of appeal against the bail granted to four of the 12 inmates.


Justice Egwuatu was advised by the DSS attorney that he would prefer to take the case to the Court of Appeal.



Following no opposition from counsel for the detainees, Sunday Adebayo, Justice Egwuatu dismissed the request.


On August 4, 2021, the court granted bail to 12 accomplices of the accused Yoruba secessionist leader, who had been detained by the DSS on July 2, 2021.


In his ruling on the detainees’ bail applications, Justice Egwuatu stated that there is no charge against them and granted four of the applicants’ bail in the amount of N10 million each with two sureties in the same amount, while the remaining eight were granted bail in the amount of N5 million each with one surety.

Amudat Babatunde (AKA Lady K), Okoyemi Tajudeen, Abideen Shittu, and Jamiu Oyetunji are the four applicants who were given N10 million bail.


The others admitted to N5 million bail are; Abdulateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Erinoye, Diekola Jubril, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Oluwafemi Kunle, Raji Kazeem and Bamidele Sunday.

One of the sureties the court held must be an employee of the federal government on grade level 12 and above.

The sureties who must be residents in Abuja and have properties must swear to an affidavit of means.


The judge also ordered that the title deeds of the said property of the sureties must be verified by the Court registrar and the DSS in addition to evidence of three years of tax payment.

The sureties must also present all travel papers to the court, and the four applicants, who were granted N10 million bail, must report to the DSS on the first Monday of every month for the following three months, according to the court.

On July 1, 2021, Igboho’s aides were arrested during a raid on his Ibadan (Oyo State) home.

In an affidavit, the DSS claimed that its raid on Igboho’s home on July 1 was a combined operation involving its operatives and Nigerian Army soldiers and that the attack was prompted by suspicions that Igboho and his colleagues were involved in criminal activity.

During the operation, DSS officers found several arms and ammunition, and the investigation into the case has “advanced in scope and sophistication,” according to the DSS.

The security agency stated that “The activities of the applicants in custody constitute a threat to the national security of Nigeria.

“Any attempt to grant the applicants ball at this stage of investigation may jeopardise ongoing investigation in the matter.

“The respondents will not hesitate to formally charge the applicants to a court or bring them before the court at the conclusion of the investigation.”