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There was confusion at the State High Court in Ilaro, Ogun State, on Tuesday after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the courthouse to arrest two defendants
It was gathered that the security operatives whisked away Alhaji Isiaka Fatai and Samuel Oyero, sparking a widespread outrage.
The trial of the defendants was taking place in a case labelled HCP/IC/2023, which involved the State versus Awode Oladosu & 13 others.
Presiding over the court proceedings was Justice A.A. Shobayo.
The case revolved around an allegation of arson made by Chief Akeem Adigun (aka Socopao) against Alhaji Isiaka Fatai, Oyero, and 12 others.
The Agosasa community in Ipokia Local Government Area recently experienced a crisis, resulting in the destruction of property worth billions of naira and the loss of life due to a dispute over Obaship in the town.
Chaos ensued when DSS operatives stormed the court premises and apprehended the suspects.
In a statement, Kehinde Bamiwola, the counsel to Alhaji Isiaka, alleged that the DSS operatives used weapons on the two defendants, further claiming that “Alhaji Isiaka Fatai was beaten, slapped, manhandled, rough-handled, and molested.”
In response to the incident, Comrade Omololu Olusanya, the Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of the High Court, Ilaro, expressed his astonishment and condemned the blatant disregard for the rule of law.
Despite the judge’s explicit instructions to refrain from making any arrests within the court premises, the operatives went ahead and apprehended the two individuals.
“They still went ahead and did the act to the extent that they assaulted one of our staff members, Mrs Fadina while doing that act. It’s a very sad issue that caused a lot of noise within the court premises.
“It was from the source that we heard they were DSS agents. If anybody sees them, one would think they were armed robbers.
“They did not wear anything that identified them as DSS, but they came to my lord this morning and said they had some people to arrest. That was when we knew they were DSS officers.
“They approached the judge before the court session began. The honourable judge advised them that if they wanted to make an arrest, it must not be done within the court premises.
“They could stay outside and do whatever they wanted, but they refused that advice and carried out the arrest within the premises,” he told Daily Trust.
DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, has not issued any official statement regarding the incident as of the time of filing this report.