Justice has prevailed at last as eight of the twelve aides of Yoruba freedom fighter, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, have regained their freedom, ogbomosoinsightonline.com has learnt.
The secret police released the eight detainees on Monday, their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, disclosed.
The men had spent 61 days in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, after their arrest during the invasion of the residence of Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho, on July 1, which left two other aides dead. Igboho had evaded arrest.
The secret police, however, refused to release the remaining four detainees.
Those released appeared at a press conference on Monday afternoon with their lawyer. They are Abideen Shittu, Abdullateef Onaolapo, Ayobami Donald, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Dikeola Ademola, Bamidele Sunday, Raji Kazeem, and Taiwo Tajudeen.
Those still in DSS custody are Tajudeen Irinloye, Uthman Adelabu, Amudat Babatunde, and Jamiu Oyetunji.
Speaking at a press conference after the release of eight of the 12 detainees in Abuja on Monday, Olajengbesi insisted that the remaining four of his clients must be freed because they had been granted bail by the court.
He also stated that the DSS must account for the two associates of Igboho killed during the bloody raid of July 1, 2021.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on August 4, 2021 had granted bail to the 12 detained aides of the freedom fighter, who incidentally is held in Benin Republic after being arrested on July 19.
The aides had met their bail conditions including the provision of 24 sureties but the DSS lawyer, Idowu Awo, kicked against the bail granted by Justice Egwuatu to four of the detainees, claiming that they were heavily involved in the alleged offence of arms stockpiling and other criminal activities of their boss, Igboho.
Awo had filed a remand application for the four detainees saying their release would affect investigation. He had also approached an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail earlier granted to the four persons.
The 12 detainees had approached the court to seek their release.
The presiding judge had granted them bail. Upon the perfection of their bail conditions, Justice Egwuatu had also signed their Release Order last week but the DSS kept the detainees, still.
Their continued detention contrary to the ruling of the court had irked some Senior Advocates of Nigeria including Femi Falana, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Ifedayo Adedipe, who noted separately that the DSS was inviting anarchy and lawlessness into the country by not obeying the order.
Under the weight of public outcry the secret police had finally granted eight freedom.
