From Oluseye Ojo Ibadan

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, has restrained the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), from arresting, intimidating, harassing and freezing the bank accounts of Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho.

The injunctions were granted yesterday by Justice Ladiran Akintola, in a case with number M/435/2021, instituted by Igboho against the trio of Attorney-General of the Federation, SSS and Director of SSS in Oyo State.

Igboho’s lead counsel, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), who moved an exparte motion before the court, yesterday, had on Friday, July 23,  2021, filed a notice of application for the enforcement of Igboho’s fundamental human rights before the OyoState High Court.

The litigation was instituted by Igboho, followinga bloody raid on his house in Ibadan, in the early hours of July 1, this year, by the SSS, in collaboration with other security agencies. During the raid, two persons were killed and about 13 people among Igboho’s aides were arrested during the operation and were later paraded in the evening of the same July 1, by the SSS in Abuja. Giving the injunctions, Justice  Akintola, said: “I,hereby, grant an order of interim injunction pending the determination of this suit restraining the respondents, their agents and associates in other security forces and/or anybody caring on their behalf and/or instructions from killing, arresting, detaining, molesting, harassing and/or in any way interfere with the applicant’s fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, freedom of movement and peaceful enjoyment of his property without fear of invasion of his home by the respondents and their agents, pending the hearing of the applicant’s originating motion.”

The second injunction granted by the court bordered on the alleged freezing of Igboho’s bank accounts, saying: “I, hereby, give an order of injunction pending the determination of this suit restraining the respondents, their agents, privies and/or associates in other security forces and/or anybody acting on their behalf and or instructions from blocking the accounts of the applicant in any bank and/or placing no debit thereon and directing them to lift same where they had so acted, pending the hearing of the applicant’s originating motion.”

Igboho, in the main suit, is also praying the court to order the respondents jointly and separately to pay him N500 billion as special damages for the damage done to his car and residence, as well as exemplary and/or aggravated damages for breaching his fundamental rights in the course of illegal and/or malicious invasion of his residence.