It was earlier reported that DSS personnel invaded the court and arrested two defendants even though the judge had warned them against making any arrest on the court premises.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied that its personnel invaded the Ogun State High Court in the Ilaro area of the state and arrested two defendants in defiance of the judge’s directive.
It was earlier reported that DSS personnel invaded the court and arrested two defendants even though the judge had warned them against making any arrest on the court premises.
The two defendants identified as Alhaji Isiaka Fatai and Samuel Oyero were being tried in a suit marked HCP/IC/2023 - State Vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others.
Fatai and Oyero were being tried in a case presided over by Justice A.A. Shobayo, bordering on an alleged arson filed by one Chief Akeem Adigun, also known as Socopao against Fatai, Oyero and 12 others.
According to Daily Trust, there was panic on the court premises on Tuesday when the DSS operatives stormed the place and forcibly took away the defendants.
Kehinde Bamiwola, counsel for Isiaka, alleged that the DSS operatives physically assaulted his client.
“Alhaji Isiaka Fatai was beaten, slapped, man-handled, rough-handled and molested,” he said.
Also confirming the incident to Daily Trust, the Principal Registrar of the Court and Sectional Head of the High Court, Ilaro, Omololu Olusanya, described the action of the DSS operatives as shocking and disrespectful to the rule of law.
But the DSS spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya, told SaharaReporters that no DSS personnel invaded the court as reported, let alone carried out any arrest on the court premises.
According to him, the secret police observe the rule of law in their operations.
Responding to SaharaReporters’ message seeking clarification on the incident, Afunanya said, “This is not true. The DSS did not carry out any arrest in the court. The Service observes rule of law in its operations.”