BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
Lawyer to the arrested 12 aides of the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a Sunday Igboho, who were being detained at the custody of the Department of State Service has said that they are currently subjected to very harsh condition.
The lawyer was quoted by The PUNCH as saying that his clients were being fed with a soup known as ‘engine oil,’ which made them to have diarrhoea and visit toilet after eating with the soup.
The DSS were said to have, hitherto, denied the lawyer access to his clients for over four weeks. The lawyer said that when he eventually saw them at the DSS headquarters in Abuja on Friday, they complained bitterly of being subjected to deplorable condition.
Olajengbesi was quoted as saying that he and two other members of the legal team met with four of the 12 detained persons.
“It is important to state that their current situation is a classical definition of wholesome human rights abuse. Their health is, sadly, poor and in a sorry situation.
“They are made to sleep on the bare floor and are badly beaten before medical treatment is accorded them to heal and conceal injuries from the torture.
“Lady K, in particular, seems to have sustained fracture on her left leg and is in serious pains. She has not had a change of clothes and folds herself to sleep in the terrible cell.
“A larger per cent of them have high blood pressure issues as confirmed by the SSS clinic. They are fed with a liquid they call ‘engine oil’ as their soup for their food. Their normal routine is to eat and resume the toilet where they purge for long.
“They’re being treated badly and worse than animals, and we did our best in assuring and keeping them upbeat and in high spirits before making our exit,” he said.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the 12 persons were arrested on July 1, 2021 during a midnight raid on the Ibadan residence of Igboho killing two of his associates in a ‘gun duel.’
The arrested aides of Sunday Igboho, through their lawyers, demanded their release at a Federal High Court in Abuja but the court, on Thursday, adjourned the suit till Monday as the DSS failed to produce the detained persons as being ordered.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu had ordered that the DSS should grant the lawyers to the detained aides access to their clients.
The lawyer said, “On the issue of the discrepancies in the names, it was confirmed that there was an error from both sides as to the correctness of their name. We, therefore, agreed to adopt same as reflected on the DSS’ processes and we have concluded plans to file a motion for amendment of our processes in order to avoid any unnecessary legal debate that may further prolong the matter.”
Sunday Igboho is currently facing trial in Cotonou following his arrest while trying to board a flight to Germany.
