By John Ikani
Embattled Yoruba nation campaigner, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, has made good his threat to sue federal authorities over the July 2 raid of his Sooka, Ibadan residence by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
Igboho in an application for an order enforcing his fundamental human rights filed yesterday on his behalf by his lawyers at the Oyo State High Court, filed a N500 billion suit against the DSS and Attorney General of the Federation(AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The suit, according to his lawyers, derived from Order 11, Order XI and XIL of the fundamental human rights enforcement procedure rules 2009, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court as preserved by section 6 of the 1999 constitution.
In the suit, Igboho, through his lawyer, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), is seeking orders declaring the invasion as a violation of his fundamental human rights, damage of his property as a violation of his fundamental rights to peacefully own property and wealth as well as N500 billion damages among others.
Igboho is also asking the court for a declaration that it was “oppressive, malicious, arbitrary and grossly unconstitutional for the 2nd & 3rd respondents to invade the residence of the applicant situate, lying and being at Igboho Villa, 1, Dalag Street, Off Soka Bus Stop, Soka Area, Off Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan without announcing who they were and ask the applicant to open his gate but rather shot their way through killing two people including an elderly Imam doing Tahjud (night vigil), shooting at cars thereby destroying them and not sparing animals like cats and dogs in total violation of the intendments of the Fundamental Human Rights’ provision in CFRN, 1999 and African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement), Act, LFN 2010, protecting the-dignity of human person, sanctity of human life and privacy c citizens and their homes.”
It also urged the court to declare that “the respondents’ resolve in preventing the applicant from propagating his belief in association with other like minds in creating a Yoruba Nation and/or Oduduwa Republic for his Indigenous Yoruba people and hunting him with gun with a view to arresting him dead or alive when he has not called for war in achieving same is against his fundamental rights to freedom of thought, conscience and association since campaign for self-determination is recognized by Nigerian Law and international treaties of organisations to which Nigeria belongs.”
Desperately wanted by the DSS in Nigeria, with an international arrest warrant hanging around his neck, and facing immigration-related offences in Cotonou, Igboho, is also seeking asylum in the Republic of Benin.
A source familiar with the matter told newsmen that although an application had been filed for Igboho as a political refugee in Germany, processes had also been completed to file another application for asylum for him in Benin Republic.
“Igboho has already applied for asylum in Germany and he hopes to file a similar application in Benin Republic in the coming days,” the source said.
The source also said that there was the possibility that the Beninese Government would drop the migration-related offences brought against Igboho over alleged forgery of passport.
