The operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have reportedly invaded a High court sitting in the Ilaro area of Ogun State and arrested two defendants during the trial of a case.
The defendants, Fatai Isiaka and Samuel Oyero were standing trial for alleged arson following the Obaship crisis in Agosasa town of Ipokia local government area of the state.
The case titled, “The State vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others” with suit no: HCP/IC/2023 was being presided over by Justice A. A. Shobayo when the incident happened on Monday.
It would be recalled that a crisis engulfed Agosasa where property worth millions of naira was destroyed and one person reportedly killed over an Obaship tussle in the town.
Following the crisis, one Akeem Adigun, popularly known as Socopao had accused the defendants of instigating the attacks in the town.
Counsel to the defendants, Kehinde Bamiwola had informed the judge of the presence of armed DSS operatives in court.
Bamiwola alleged that the DSS acting on the instruction of Adigun may have come to arrest his clients.
Upon Bamiwola’s complaint, the presiding judge ordered the operatives to leave the court and also barred them from arresting anyone within the premises.
But, “the men of the DSS after leaving the court’s hall went out within the court’s premises, disregarded and violated the order of the court by forcefully arresting, Fatai Isiaka and one Samuel Oyero”, Bamiwola said.
Confirming the incident, the Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court, Ilaro, Comrade Omololu Olusanya described the incident as shocking and a lack of respect for the rule of law.
According to him, the judge had ordered the operatives not to make any arrests within the court premises but could do that outside its premises.
But “they still went ahead and did the act to the extent that they assaulted one of our staff members, Mrs Fadina while carrying out the arrest. It’s a very sad issue that caused a lot of noise within the court premises,” he lamented.
According to him, the operatives who stormed the court and disrupted proceedings were up to eight as they all covered their faces with hood.