Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on Friday, awarded the sum of N20 billion as damages against the Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Department of State Services (DSS) in the suit filed by Yoruba nation agitator and activist, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho. Justice Ladiran Akintola gave the order while delivering judgement in a N500 billion suit filed against Malami and DSS over the invasion of his Ibadan residence, on July 1. Igboho through his lawyer, Yomi Alliyu, filed a suit challenging the invasion of his house in Ibadan by operatives of DSS. Referring to the incident as illegal and an infringement on his fundamental human rights. The court also dismissed an application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, challenging its jurisdiction to hear allegations against Nigerian government agencies.
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.
"Unfortunately, this court is not a Father Christmas and cannot award the sum of N500 billion as requested by the applicant but the court retrained the respondent from arresting or harassing the applicant. He has right to his free movement as contained in section 35.1 (a)(b) of the 1999 constitution as amended."