Pelumi Olajengbesi, one of the Nigeria-based lawyers to Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has described claims that armed robbers attacked officials of the Department of State Service as “shameful”.
The media had reported that a counsel to the Department of State Service, Idowu Awo, told the Federal High Court, on Wednesday, that the case file relating to the Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement application filed by the aides to Igboho, was hijacked by armed robbers.
He told Justice Obiora Egwuatu that his colleague who was bringing the case file to court was attacked by armed robbers.
According to Awo, the colleague boarded a vehicle belonging to armed robbers commonly known as ‘one chance’ and his belongings, including the case file, were hijacked by the armed robbers.
“We must stop this nonsense in this country. I am sick and tired. The claim by DSS staff that they were robbed and case file missing on their way to court is ridiculous and shameful.
“If DSS can be robbed in the city of Abuja, what then is the fate of the common man. #Sickcountry,” Olajengbesi posted on Facebook.
The 12 associates of Igboho had instituted the rights enforcement suit against the DSS for parading them in the media as common criminals.
In the suit, the aides are seeking a declaration of the court that their detention beyond 48 hours and their media parade without a court conviction constituted a breach of their fundamental rights.
They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the DSS from interfering with their personal liberty and freedom of expression.
The associates also prayed the court to order the DSS to pay them N100 million for aggravated and exemplary damages, for what they described as a serial breach of their constitutional rights.
Operatives of the DSS on July 1 raided Igboho’s residence in Oyo and arrested 12 of his supporters.
They were subsequently paraded and moved to the Federal Capital Territory where they were detained.
Subsequently, the detainees, through their lawyer, Olajengbesi, filed an application asking the court to inquire into the circumstances constituting the grounds of their arrest and detention since July 2.
Olajengbesi further asked the court that where it deemed fit, his clients should be admitted to bail.
Ruling on the application on August 4, Justice Egwuatu admitted all the applicants to bail.
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