The Department of State Services (DSS), on Wednesday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that ‘One chance’ a gang of mobile armed robbers stole its case-file on the fundamental rights enforcement suit .
The N100m Fundamental Human Right suit was filed against DSS by detained associates of Yoruba nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, otherwise known as Sunday Igboho.
Mr.Idowu Awo the DSS lawyer who informed the court at the resumption of the hearing of the fundamental rights suit, further told the court that the legal team of the security agency needed an adjournment to put its house in order following the theft .
Awo told the court that the ‘One-Chance’ thieves snatched the case-file from his colleague who unknowingly boarded their vehicle.
He told the trial court judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu that aside from the case-file, other items belonging to his colleague were also stolen.
However, Timilehin Odunwo counsel to the plaintiffs objected to the submission and added that he did not believe the story .
But the judge interjected that the incident could happened to anybody .He added that the lawyer needed to be sympathized with for his predicament.
In the suit Igboho’s associates are seeking a declaration of Court that their detention beyond 48 hours and their media parade without a court conviction constituted a breach on their fundamental rights.
They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the DSS from interfering with their personal liberty and freedom of expression.
The plaintiffs have also prayed for an order granting them the sum of 100million as aggravated and exemplary damages against the DSS for what they term serial breach of their constitutional rights.
Justice Egwuatu noted that with the
annual vacation of the High Court drawing to a close, he would return the court case file to the registry for reassignment of the matter to the regular court.
The judge had on August 4, 2021, granted bail to the 12 detainees.
They had met their bail conditions, including the provision of 24 sureties, but the DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, had kicked against the bail granted by Justice Egwuatu to four of them, claiming that they were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.
Though the DSS had on August 30 and September 3, released ten out of the 12 persons it arrested at Igboho’s residence on July 1, the security agency on Wednesday filed terrorism charges against two of the remaining detainees, Noah Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde (female).
In the suit no FHC/ABJ/CR/305/2021, which was dated August 31, 2021, the DSS listed five count terrorism charges against Noah Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde (female).
The DSS alleged that Oyetunji was in possession of fire arms for terrorism-related activities while Babatunde promoted terrorist acts through her Facebook account.
The matter is yet to be assigned to any judge.