FG Moves To Appeal N20bn Court Ruling On Igboho

ATTORNEY GENERAL of the Federal (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said Federal Government would appeal the ruling of Oyo State High Court which awarded N20 billion damages against the AGF and Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly invading the residence of Sunday Adeyemo (AKA Igboho) by the DSS on July 1.

Prime Business Africa had reported that the court on Friday awarded the Sum of N20 billion against the duo of AGF and DSS as exemplary damages in a fundamental human rights suit filed by Igboho.

Malami revealed the position of the federal governnent on it in a statement he made shortly after the ruling, declaring that the process of appeal had already 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 invasion of Igboho’s residence in Soka area of Ibadan.

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.

In his ruling on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola, however, said the procedures adopted by the DSS in handling the incident was unprofessional, one based on arbitrary prejudice.