Some of Sunday Ighoho’s aides in the courtroom during hearing of their bail application on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed terrorism charges against two detained aides of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho.
The charges were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja after over two months since the secret police arrested and detained the two aides of the activist and the DSS refusal to grant them bail despite a court order.
In the suit no FHC/ABJ/CR/305/2021, which was dated August 31, 2021, the DSS through its lawyer S.M. Bello, filed a five count terrorism charges against Noah Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde (female).
The DSS alleged that Oyetunji was in possession of fire arms for terrorism-related activities while Babatunde promoted terroristic acts through her Facebook account.
Reacting to the charges, the detainees’ lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, described the DSS action as baseless, vexatious, shameful and without limbs.”
Recalled that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on August 4, 2021, granted bail to the 12 detainees. But the DSS, last week, freed 10 of the 12 aides of Igboho after over 60 days in detention following their arrested since July 1.
They had met their bail conditions, including the provision of 24 sureties, but the DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, had kicked against the bail granted by Justice Egwuatu to four of them, claiming that they were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.
After a long dilly-dally, the secret police, in compliance with a court order, first released eight of the 12 detainees on Monday, August 30, 2021, holding onto the remaining four. Two more aides were freed last Friday while Babatunde and Oyetunji are still in detention.
Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria – Femi Falana, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Ifedayo Adedipe – had said that the DSS was inviting anarchy and lawlessness into the country by not obeying the order for the release of the 12 detainees.