Nigerian govt to appeal N20bn court ruling on Igboho

In the wake of a ruling by an Oyo State High Court which awarded N20 billion in damages against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) for the purported invasion of Sunday Adeyemo’s residence by the DSS on July 1, the Federal Government is set to appeal the ruling.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the court in Ibadan on Friday awarded the amount in a fundamental human rights suit brought by the self-styled Yoruba nation activist, Adeyemo, also known as Igboho.

This was over the invasion of his residence in the Soka area of the Oyo State capital by the defendants.

However, in his statement shortly after the ruling, the AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said that the Federal Government would appeal the judgment, and that already the process of appeal had begun.

Igboho’s counsel, Mr Yomi Alliyu (SAN) , had filed a N500 billion fundamental human rights enforcement suit against the AGF, DSS and Director of State Services in Oyo State, over the the incident.

But, counsel to the AGF, Mr Abdullah Abubakar, had argued that there was no evidence before the court that the blood seen in the video clip tendered by Alliyu belonged to a human being.

Counsel to the DSS, T. A. Nurudeen, aligned himself with the submissions of the counsel to the AGF insisting that there must be proof from a haematologist to show that the blood seen in the video belonged to a human being.

Nurudeen also tendered a video clip which was admitted by the court where Igboho allegedly threatened to create an Oduduwa Republic, while urging the Yoruba to protect themselves with charms and guns.

Delivering his judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola, however, said the style and procedures adopted by the DSS in the incident was unprofessional.

He awarded the sum of N20 billion as exemplary and aggravated damages in favour of the applicant.