Judge orders DSS to produce detained Igboho supporters in court

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to produce supporters of Sunday Igboho who were arrested in Oyo state.

The DSS on July 1 raided Igboho’s residence in Oyo.

Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, said the security agency recovered illegal arms — including seven AK-47 rifles — and thousands of ammunition from Igboho’s house.

The agency also paraded 12 supporters of the activist, who allegedly attacked DSS operatives during the raid.

The supporters were subsequently moved to the federal capital territory (FCT) where they have been in detention.

Owing to their detention, the suspects through their lawyer, Pelumi Olajemgbesi, filed an application asking the court to “inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of their arrest and detention since July 2, 2021, and where it deems fit admit applicants on bail”.

They also asked for an order “mandating and compelling the respondents to produce the applicants before this honourable court and show cause as to why the applicants should not be granted bail in accordance with the provisions of section 32 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015”.

Ruling on the application on Friday, Obiora Egwatu, the judge, said there was merit in the application.

Consequently, the judge granted all the orders sought and asked the DSS to produce the applicants in court on July 29.

The applicants are Abdulateef Ofeyagbe, Amoda Babatunde, Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diakola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, Ayobami Donald, Adelabe Usman, Oluwapelumi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi and Bamidele Sunday