The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has berated the Department of State Services (DSS) over its failure to produce all the 12 aides of Sunday Igboho before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday.
Recall that the operatives of the secret police had invaded the home of Sunday Igboho in Soka, Ibadan, killed some of his aides during a gun duel and arrested about 12 of them.
The DSS had on Thursday, said it had only three of the aides in custody as against the initial 12 reported in the media.
Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi said the conduct of the secret police truly showed a complete affront on human rights.
Adams pointed to the section of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which says that anybody arrested must be taken to court, latest 24 hours after arrest, while such a person’s rights must be protected under the law.
The Yoruba leader said it was sad and most unfortunate that the security agency had arrogated to itself covert power that usually reminded Nigerians of the inglorious years of the military where citizens rights were jettisoned.
“Our constitution is clear about the rights of every citizen that anybody arrested must be taken to court latest 24 hours after his arrest and such rights must be protected under the law. It is sad and most unfortunate that the DSS had arrogated to itself covert power that usually reminds us of the inglorious years of the military where citizens rights have no basis in their law,” he said.
“Therefore, the DSS failure to present Igboho’s aides in court for the second time was a flagrant display of lawlessness and gross injustice. Ideally, it is only the president and the vice president of the country that have that immunity as provided by our constitution. So why is the DSS finding it too difficult to allow the constitution to take its course as it is done in other climes?” he queried.
Adams, however, urged the DSS to be transparent in the discharge of its responsibility, adding that the case against Igboho was so sensitive in nature that the secret police as an institution could not claim to be above the law.
Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho is currently undergoing trial in Benin Republic after he was arrested over two weeks trying to escape to Germany.
Sunday Igboho, who was declared wanted by the Nigerian authorities had attempted to escape the country through Benin Republic and was captured in Cotonou along with some of his family members.
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