TheCable

Yomi Aliyu, counsel to Sunday Adeyemo, a Yoruba youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, has told the federal government to pay damages in the sum of N500 million to his client as compensation for the “destruction of his property”.

The DSS had raided Igboho’s home last Thursday, after which 13 persons were arrested, while two others reportedly died.

During the parade by the DSS in Abuja, the agency also said weapons and charms were recovered from the house.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the lawyer also asked the DSS and the federal government to tender a public apology to Igboho for what he described as “unconstitutional invasion” of his client’s house.

“We can boldly say that as people who followed his campaign, but not necessarily supporting dismemberment of Nigeria, that no casualty has ever occurred wherever rallies were carried out. This must have been done in more than 20 Yoruba towns and cities as at date,” Aliyu said.

“To now invade the residence of such a peace-loving crusader is tantamount to calling a dog a bad name to hang it. It must be reiterated that it is the right of a group of homogeneous and people in a federation to ask for self-determination in accordance with the rules of international law and UNO Charter. Our constitution also permits freedom of association.

“Our client should be paid N500 million as reparation for damage to his exotic cars that include Mercedes Benz G-Class and 2019 Lexus car. We also demand a public apology.

“Most importantly, trampling of our client’s fundamental rights, including tagging him as criminal by exhibiting DSS guns as his, should stop forthwith.”

The lawyer claimed that the DSS officials made away with “€1,000, N2 million, expensive jewellery worth millions of naira, travel documents, amulets, iPhone 12 belonging to Igboho, phones of about 15 others living in the house, including those who were killed”.

Aliyu also called on the south-west governors to wade into the matter.