YORUBA Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has reacted to the Federal Government’s plan to file a fresh lawsuit against him after the Oyo State High Court awarded N20 billion damages in his favour.
Igboho’s counsel, Yomi Alliyu, SAN, had filed a N500 billion fundamental human rights enforcement suit against the AGF, SSS and the Director of the SSS in Oyo State over the invasion of his home in Ibadan, on July 1.
Alliyu claimed that his client’s house and cars were damaged, while two occupants of the house were killed by SSS operatives during the incident
The judge, Ladiran Akintola, had awarded the money as “an exemplary and aggravated damages” against the AGF and the State Security Service (SSS), over the invasion of Adeyemo’s home in Ibadan, on July 1.
But the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the FG had the right to appeal the judgement or file a fresh charge.
Speaking on Thursday, September 23, in New York at the United Nations General Assembly, Malami said the position of the federal government on the judgment was about “law and jurisdiction.
“As far as this matter is concerned, which court is it that has the jurisdiction to determine it? And as you rightly know, obedient to court orders and court judgments. But then you have to understand within the context of such obedience that there are associated rights and interests that are vested in the Federal Government.” He told journalists
“Inclusive of rights of appealing against a judgment, inclusive of right to file an application for setting aside the purported judgment and order, and inclusive of the possibility of filing a fresh action, if, indeed, the jurisdiction of the court that was alleged to have handed that judgment is an issue.
“So, we are doing the needful in terms of looking at the law as it exists, and then working within the context of the law in ensuring that justice is done as far as the contending issues between the parties are concerned,’’ the minister explained.
In response, Sunday Igboho’s lawyer, Yomi Aliyu has stated that Igboho will not be harassed or killed by the Nigerian Government, questioning what other charge they have against him.
Alliyu posted on Facebook, “#SundayIgbohosRights Hon AGF, Malam Malami SAN, finally agreed that he would abide by the judgment of Ibadan High Court pending the time he will either apply to set the judgment aside or file a new application(?) or file a fresh charge or appeal the judgement! Meaning our client, CHIEF SUNDAY ADEYEMO A.K.A IGBOHO OOSA, will not be harassed, molested or even killed until the Federal Government makes up his mind on what it will do!
