Detention: Igboho’s Associates Threaten Contempt Proceedings against DSS DG

By Alex Enumah

Twelve associates of Yoruba Nation agitator, Mr Sunday Adeyemo otherwise known as Sunday Igboho, has threatened to file a suit for the committal to prison of the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) over his refusal to release them days after a Federal High Court signed the warrant for their release on bail.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja had recently issued a warrant for the release of the detainees after they had perfected the bail granted them by his court.

However, it has been alleged that the Director General of the DSS, Mr Yusuf Bichi, have been blocking lawyers from giving effect to the release of warrants since Monday when they were served on him.

Apparently angered by the development, the lawyer to the 12 detained associates, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, on Friday, threatened to commence contempt proceedings against Bichi for the agency’s alleged failure to comply with an order of court for the release of his clients.

Olajengbesi told journalists that his clients had, last week, met the conditions attached to the bail granted them by Justice Egwuatu following which the judge signed their release warrant on Monday.

He said despite being served with the release warrant, the DSS has failed to release the detainees, who were arrested during the July 1 raid on Igboho’s Ibadan home by a combined team of men of the DSS and the Nigerian military, and have been detained since then.

The lawyer said: “The refusal of the SSS to honour a clear order of court, though habitual, is not only worrisome and unacceptable, but is an affront on the authority of the court and our entire judicial system.

“Such blatant disregard for, and contemptuous, spiteful and insolent disrespect of an order of court if allowed to fester would undermine the very integrity of the court and breed even newer levels of rascality by state agents.

“It would also amount to surrendering the freedom and rights of all 12 detainees to the whims and caprices of an agency that has gone rogue and thrives in wilful disobedience of court orders.

“In light of this, we are giving the SSS, particularly its Director-General, 48 hours and not an hour more, within which to fully obey and comply with the release order of the court in favour of all 12 detained associates of Mr. Sunday Igboho or face contempt proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction with the full weight and recompense of the court brought to bear against his insolence and disregard of court order.

“Take notice that we will not fail to exhaust all legal and social remedy available to the detainees in enforcing their rights in this matter and setting the tone against the SSS’ notorious disregard of due process and the rule of law.”