Just In: Court orders DSS to pay Igboho N20bn for unlawful invasion

An Oyo State high court has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to pay N20 billion to Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo better known as Sunday Igboho for unlawfully invading his Ibadan residence. 

Two persons were said to have been killed, while 12 others were arrested following the raid on July 1. 

Following the raid, Igboho through his lawyer, Yomi Alliyu, filed a suit challenging the invasion of his house in Ibadan by operatives of the DSS. 

He sued the AGF, the DSS, and the director of the DSS in Oyo state, demanding N5.5 billion in damages over the raid on his Ibadan home.

Giving the judgement on Friday, Ladiran Akintola, the judge awarded the N20 billion relief as exemplary and aggravated damages against the secret service in the fundamental human rights suit filed by Igboho. 

“Unfortunately, this court is not a Father Christmas and cannot award the sum of N500 billion as requested by the applicant but the court restrained the respondent from arresting or harassing the applicant. He has the right to his free movement as contained in section 35.1 (a)(b) of the 1999 constitution as amended.” 

The judge also dismissed an application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, challenging its jurisdiction to hear allegations against Nigerian government agencies. 

Abubakar Abdullahi, Counsel for the AGF had filed an application challenging the ability of a state High Court to hear the activities of Nigerian government agencies. 

But citing several judgements by the Supreme and Appeal courts in respect of the ability of the state high court to hear such cases, Justice Ladiran Akintola said the invasion of the house of the applicant violated his fundamental human rights as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.