A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to 12 aides of Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Igboho, after spending 34 days in the custody of State Security Services (SSS).
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted bail to the detainees on Wednesday following an application by their counsel Pelumi Olajengbesi.
Olajengbesi prayed the court to grant bail to the 12 detained aides because the SSS had failed to file charges against them since July 1st.
The detained aides include: Amudat Habibat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah Oyetunji and Bamidele Sunday, Abdullateef Ademola Onaolapo, Tajudeen Irinloye, Diekola Jubril Ademola, and Ayobami Donald.
Others are: Uthman Opeyemi Adelabu, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Raji Kazeem and Taiwo Opeyemi Tajudeen.
Following the application, counsel to the SSS I. Awo opposed the bail application for Babatunde, Shittu, Noah and Sunday.
Awo said the SSS investigation had shown that they were ‘deeply involved’ in the illegal stockpiling of arms.
However, Egwuatu ruled that all 12 detainees were to be released because the SSS had failed to file charges against them before the court.
She granted bail in the sum of N10 million each and two sureties in like sum to four of the detainees.
The remaining eight were granted bail in the sum of N5 million each with one surety each who must be a civil servant. She also ruled that all the sureties must reside in Abuja.
The ICIR had reported that the SSS only produced eight of the detainees on Monday, leaving the four others in detention, citing logistics issues as the reason for their absence.
The detainees have been in the custody of the SSS since July 1st during a raid on Igboho’s residence in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The SSS said they were stockpiling arms in their residence and planning to cause chaos in Nigeria but have failed to file charges against them.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94