Sunday Igboho: Abuja High Court Orders DSS to produce Detained Aides

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Service (DSS) to bring to court 12 aides of the Yoruba nation agitator cum activist; Mr. Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho, who were arrested during a midnight raid at his Soka residence.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja stated that detaining the said 12 persons at an underground cell is inhumane and a breach of their fundamental human rights.

Pelumi Olajengbesi, the accused lawyer, told the court on Friday that his clients have been held in DSS custody “underground” since their detention on July 2nd, following the raid on Igboho’s residence the day before.

The applicants had filed a motion ex parte with the Court, asking for court instructions to enforce their rights.

Olajengbesi is requesting, among other things, a court order directing the DSS to bring the suspected pro-Yoruba agitators to court and release them on bail.

The request is based on eight reasons, the most important of which is that the detainees are Nigerian citizens.

The detainees are Abdullateef Ofeyagbe, Amuda Babatunde (alias Lady K), Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diekola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, Ayobami Donald, Adelabe Usman, Oluwapelumi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi and Bamidele Sunday.

The counsel also sought an order of the Court mandating the DSS to show cause why they should not be granted bail in line with Section 32 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ACJA.

The DSS is likely to present the 12 in court on July 29th, which is the next date set for the case to be heard.