The planned arraignment of Jamiu Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde, two aides of Yoruba nationalist, Sunday Adeyemo, (Sunday Igboho), could not hold on Monday.
The arraignment could not hold before Justice Obiorah Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja due to the absence of an interpreter.
The men were brought to court by the Department of State Services on five counts bothering on terrorism.
The charge dated August 31 was filed at a Federal High Court, Abuja, by S.M, Bello, counsel for the claimant.
The Federal Government claimed that the defendants were involved in acts of terrorism and possession of prohibited firearms.
The counts read partly, “That you, Jamiu Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde, with others still at large, on or about July 1 2021, at the residence of one Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho), located in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this court, did conspire to commit acts of terrorism, to wit; possession of prohibited fire arms, contrary to Section 17 of Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.”
“That you, Jamiu Oyetunji and Amudat Babatunde, with others still at large, on or about the July 1 2021, at the residence of Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) located in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this court, did have in your possession, without lawful authority 1,295 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunitions and 221 live rounds of 5.56mm ammunitions contrary to Section 1(3)(c)(v) of the Terrorism Prevention Act, CAP 10, 2011 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.”
When the matter came up on Monday, counsel for the defendants, Pelumi Olajengbensi, informed the court that his clients did not understand English, and that they needed an interpreter.
Efforts by the court to get an interpreter failed, which made the judge to adjourn the case to January 24, 2022.
AGF, DSS filed suit to detain Igboho in Benin –Lawyer
An affidavit presented at the High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday revealed that the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the DSS filed a suit for Sunday Igboho to be detained in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.
It was also learnt that moves were in place to file a counter suit at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja by the counsel of the leader of the Yoruba nation.
The lead counsel for Igboho, Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Monday.
Igboho, who was arrested in Benin Republic on July 19 for migration related offences as he was fleeing Nigeria to Germany, has spent 126 days that country’s prison.
Prior to the arrest, his Ibadan home was raided by DSS operatives who killed two of his aides and arrested 12 others.
Igboho had sued the Federal Government for the raid and got N20bn in damages.
However, in an interview with newsmen, his lead counsel disclosed that the counsel for the DSS and the AGF filed an affidavit on Monday at an Ibadan High Court.
He said, “We were in court today, reporters were not present because we didn’t tell them. The DSS and AGF Office confessed to telling the Cotonou (Benin Republic) government to detain him.
“They said they were the ones who filed that he should be detained in Cotonou while they plan his (Igboho) extradition. The issue now in Cotonou is that Ilana Omo Odua group engaged another set of lawyers for Igboho in Benin who didn’t understand the whole issue but wanted to use the case to shine.
“As regards their affidavit, we will be filing a counter suit at the ECOWAS Court in Abuja. The judge has also ordered that the Central Bank Nigeria release N20bn to us as damages.