An Oyo State High Court on Wednesday granted an ex-parte motion restraining the Department of State Security and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) from arresting Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba Nation agitator.
The court also restrained DSS and AGF from blocking Igboho’s bank accounts.
Justice Ladiean Akintola gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by his lawyer, Yomi Aliyu (SAN) at the court on Wednesday, according to the counsel.
“The court has ordered that he must not be arrested, intimidated, harassed, detained, or killed. The court also said that his account should not be blocked,” Yomi Aliyu said.
“The court has proved itself as the defender of the masses. The court has granted permission for him to exercise his fundamental human right of free movement.
“He can now walk freely as a Nigerian and his house must not be attacked. AGF is also a party in this case. I am sure he will obey this judgment. He is a senior advocate. I urge the government to be law-abiding,” Aliyu said
The motion developed from the application filed by Igboho through Aliyu seeking N500 billion damages for the invasion of his house in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on July 1 by operatives of the DSS.
Igboho also sought an order of the court to stop the Attorney General of the Federation, DSS, and other security agencies from arresting him or infringing on his fundamental human rights.
According to Aliyu, Igboho had prayed for, “An order of injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, privies and associates in other security forces and/or anybody acting on their behalf and/or instructions from arresting, detaining, molesting, harassing and/or in any way interfering with his personal liberty, freedom of movement of Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, enjoyment of his property without fear of an invasion of his home by the respondents and their agents,” among others.
Aliyu expressed confidence that Malami will not disobey the court order, stressing that it was given directly against his office.
Justice Akintola adjourned the hearing in the suit to August 18.
Igboho is currently in Benin Republic, Nigeria’s next-door neighbour, where he has been detained after he fled Nigeria to escape arrest by the DSS.
