Appeal Court nullifies Sunday Igboho’s N20bn damages against DSS

The Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, set aside the High Court judgment which had declared the attack on the house of Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) illegal. The court also nullified the N20 billion exemplary and aggravated damages awarded against the Department of State Services (DSS) for the attack, describing it as outrageous. In his judgment delivered virtually, Justice Muslim Hassan held that the Oyo State High Court lacked jurisdiction on the matter, adding that the judge should not have awarded damages based on his personal parameters. Justice Ladiran Akintola had on September 17, 2021 awarded the damages in favour of Chief Igboho against the DSS for invading his Soka, Ibadan residence in a night raid where some persons were killed and property carted away. The activist through his lawyer, Yomi Alliyu (SAN) had sued the DSS, seeking damages of N500 billion.