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The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the suit brought by 12 detained associates of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho.
The court, on Thursday, took the decision to adjourn till Monday because the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to produce the detained aides as earlier ordered by the court.
Counsel to the DSS, I. Awo, informed the court that the DSS has no intention of disobeying the court’s order.
He, however, stated that there were facts that were necessary for the court to be aware of regarding the matter.
Awo said some of the names on the court order were different from the names of the persons they had arrested on July 1, 2021 at Igboho’s residence in Ibadan.
Awo also told the court that contrary to the claim of the applicants lawyer that 12 of them were being held, he said only three – Amoda Babatunde (aka Lady K), Diekola Ademola and Bamidele Sunday are in DSS’ custody.
He noted that the DSS also had Abdullateef Ofeyagbe (the first applicant) in its custody until July 27, when he was released.
But counsel to the applicants, Pelumi Olajengbesi, faulted Awo’s claim,insisting that all his clients were being held by the DSS.
Olajengbesi alleged that the DSS had given the applicants new names as there are discrepancies in the spelling of their names.
Ruling, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered the DSS to produce the 12 detained associates of Sunday Igboho in court on Monday, August 2, unfailingly.
While giving the order, the judge stressed that when a court of competent jurisdiction gives an order, such must be respected and obeyed.
Justice Egwuatu also ordered that the DSS should grant the lawyer access to the detained persons between today (Friday) and next adjourned date (Monday).
When the matter came up last Thursday, Justice Egwuatu had ordered the DSS to produce the detained aides of Igboho in court.
The judge also ordered the DSS to show cause why the Igboho’s associates should not be admitted to bail.
Recall that the detained aides instituted the suit against the DSS and its Director-General, Yusuf Bichi, following their arrest and detention on July 1.
At the last sitting, the applicants’ counsel moved an ex parte motion praying the court for an order “mandating and compelling the respondents to produce the applicants to enable the court inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of their arrest and detention since July 1, and where it seems fit grant applicants bail.”
They also sought the order of the court mandating and compelling the respondents to produce the applicants before the court and “show cause as to why the applicants should not be granted bail in accordance with the provision of section 32 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and other extant laws in Nigeria.”
Olajengbesi had argued that the applicants are citizens of Nigeria with inherent rights, adding that since the applicants were arrested, no one has heard from them for more than four weeks.
The applicants are Abdulateef Ofeyagbe;Amoda Babatunde; Tajudeen Erinoyen; Diekola Ademola; Abideen Shittu; Jamiu Noah and Ayobami Donald.
Others are Adelabe Usman; Oluwapelumi Kunle; Raji Kazeem; Taiwo Opeyemi and Bamidele Sunday.