Court orders DSS to pay Igboho N20 billion for illegal raid of his house

An Oyo State High Court has ruled the July 1, 2021 raid on the home of separatist, Sunday Igboho, an illegal act by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The secret police killed two people, arrested 12 others, and seized firearms and ammunition during the invasion in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Igboho himself escaped arrest during the raid, and was promptly declared wanted by the DSS.

He filed a fundamental human rights suit against the DSS in July, and the court agreed with his motion in a ruling delivered on Friday, September 17.

Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled that the bloody raid was an arbitrary aggression fueled by prejudices.

He ordered DSS to pay N20 billion to Igboho as exemplary and aggravated damages.

The Attorney General of the Federation, and the Director DSS, Oyo State, were also listed as respondents in the suit.

Igboho was arrested a couple of weeks after the raid in neighbouring Benin Republic where he was attempting to fly to Germany with his wife.

He's remained in detention there and is fighting Nigeria's attempts to extradite him to face charges in the country.

The separatist, months ago, started leading a movement to enforce the secession of the Yoruba-speaking south west region from Nigeria.

He has made repeated claims that the ethnic group, and others, are being marginalised by the current government of President Muhammadu Buhari in favour of his own Fulani ethnic group.