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Igboho: DSS files remand application, asks court to nullify bail granted to associates

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has been asked to nullify the bail earlier granted to four of the 12 detained associates of embattled Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday “Igboho” Adeyemo.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu had last Wednesday granted bail to the 12 detainees who had spent five weeks in the custody of the DSS.

They were arrested on July 1 at Igboho’s Ibadan residence raided by DSS operatives around 1 am.

But in a fresh motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/647/2021 and filed on Monday, the Department of State Security Service (DSS), specifically urged the court to set aside the bail granted to Amudat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Oyetunji, and Bamidele Sunday.

The motion which was filed by counsel to the DSS, Idowu Awo, urged Justice Obiora Egwuatu to remand the four detainees ‘pending their arraignment during court vacation.’

However, counsel to the detainees Pelumi Olajengbesi has described the fresh application by the DSS as ‘laughable’.

‘We have seen the new application filed by the DSS to continue the incarceration of innocent people that have been in their custody for over a month. It is laughable and turned logic upside down that after over a month in the DSS custody, the DSS still needs more days to punish them. I can assure you this will fail,’ he said.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu admitted four of them to bail in the sum of N10m each with two sureties in the like sum, while the remaining eight were granted bail in the sum of N5m with one surety each.

But while opposing the bail applications brought by four of the associates, the DSS claimed that its investigations revealed that the four detained associates of Igboho – Amudat Habitat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah Oyetunji and Bamidele Sunday – weres deeply involved in the stockpiling of arms.

The service did not however oppose the release of eight others – Abdulateef Ademola Onaolapo, Tajudeen Irinyole, Diekola Jubril Ademola, Ayobami Donald and Uthman Opeyemi Adelabu – it said had minimal involvement in Igboho’s alleged criminal activities.

Ruling on their bail applications, the Judge said the sureties must be residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The four applicants who were granted N10 million bail are Amudat Babatunde (AKA Lady K), Okoyemi Tajudeen, Abideen Shittu and Jamiu Oyetunji.

The others admitted to N5 million bail are; Abdulateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Erinoye, Diekola Jubril, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Oluwafemi Kunle, Raji Kazeem and Bamidele Sunday.

One of the sureties the court held must be an employee of the federal government on grade level 12 and above.

The sureties who must be residents in Abuja and have property must swear to an affidavit of means.

The judge also ordered that the title deeds of the said property must be verified by the Court registrar and the DSS in addition to evidence of three years of tax payment.

The sureties are also to submit all travel documents to the court.

Meanwhile, the four applicants were also ordered to report to the DSS on the first Monday of every month for the next three months.

Egwuatu in addition directed the four Applicants whose bail request was opposed, to report to the office of the DSS every first Monday of the month, for three months, commencing from September 1.

Meanwhile, the court declined an application for all the Applicants to be transferred to a Correctional Center, pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

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