THE State Security Service (SSS) have been slammed with N100 million lawsuit for rights violation.
The suit was instituted by the embattled 12 aides of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, before the Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court on Wednesday.
The plaintiffs prayed for an order granting N100 million for aggravated and exemplary damages against the security outfit for serial breach of their constitutional rights.
They noted that their detention beyond 48 hours and media parade without a court conviction constituted a breach of their fundamental rights.
They, therefore, sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the SSS from interfering with their personal liberty and freedom of expression.
But the SSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, told the judge during the proceedings that his case file was stolen from a legal team member who was meant to bring it to the court.
According to him, the said colleague had boarded a vehicle belonging to criminal elements, known as ‘one chance,’ who stole her personal belongings, including the case file.
He prayed the court to adjourn the case.
In her ruling, Justice Egwuatu ruled that the file of the fundamental rights suit be returned to the registry for reassignment to the regular court.
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 after 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 had failed to file charges against them.
However, the agency released eight of them last month despite court judgement that they should all be released.
According to Pelumi Olajengbesi, their lawyer, the remaining four detainees were accused of being heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.
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