After 61 gruelling days in the custody of the Department of State Services, eight of the 12 aides of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, have regained their freedom.
The secret police released the eight detainees on Monday, their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, told our correspondent.
The secret police, however, refused to release the remaining four detainees.
Those released appeared at a press conference on Monday afternoon with their lawyer. They are Abideen Shittu, Abdullateef Onaolapo, Ayobami Donald, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Dikeola Ademola, Bamidele Sunday, Raji Kazeem, and Taiwo Tajudeen.
Those still in DSS custody are Tajudeen Irinloye, Uthman Adelabu, Amudat Babatunde, and Jamiu Oyetunji.
Speaking at a press conference after the release of eight of the 12 detainees in Abuja on Monday, Olajengbesi insisted that the remaining four of his clients must be freed because they had been granted bail by the court.
He also stated that the DSS must account for the two associates of Igboho killed during the bloody raid of July 1, 2021.
Recall that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on August 4, 2021 granted bail to the 12 detained aides of the separatist leader also known as Sunday Igboho.
They had met their bail conditions including the provision of 24 sureties but the DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, kicked against the bail granted by Justice Egwuatu to four of the detainees, claiming that they were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.
Awo had filed a remand application for the four detainees saying their release would affect investigation. He had also approached an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail earlier granted to the four persons.
Before their release on Monday, the detainees spent 61 days in DSS custody.
They were arrested around 1am on July 1, 2021, when the secret police “raided” Igboho’s Ibadan residence in a Gestapo style, killing two other associates of the activist in a “gun duel.”
The 12 detainees had approached the court to seek their release.
The presiding judge had granted them bail. Upon the perfection of their bail conditions, Justice Egwuatu had also signed their Release Order last week but the DSS kept the detainees, still.
According to three Senior Advocates of Nigeria – Femi Falana, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Ifedayo Adedipe – the DSS was inviting anarchy and lawlessness into the country by not obeying the order.
But the secret police cave in to pressure and outcry and released eight of the 12 detainees on Monday.
(Punch)