The Department of State Services (DSS) has partially complied with the court order by releasing eight out of the 12 detained associates of the Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, the lawyer to the associates announced the release today.
He said the detainees, arrested since 1 July, were released “this afternoon.”
Olajengbesi said his legal team was working to get the remaining four out by Tuesday.
Those released are : Abdulateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Erinoye, Diekola Jubril, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Oluwafemi Kunle, Raji Kazeem and Bamidele Sunday.
On Friday, Olanjegbesi had addressed a world press conference in which he drew attention to the DSS penchant disregard of court orders and gave the agency 48 hours to release the detainees.
“The refusal of the SSS to honour a clear order of court, though habitual, is not only worrisome and unacceptable but is an affront on the authority of the court and our entire judicial system”, he said.
“Such blatant disregard for, and contemptuous, spiteful and insolent disrespect of an order of court if allowed to fester would undermine the very integrity of the court and breed even newer levels of rascality by STATE AGENTS.
“It would also amount to surrendering the freedom and rights of all twelve detainees to the whims and caprices of an agency that has gone rogue and thrives in wilful disobedience of court orders.
“In light of this, we are giving the SSS, particularly its Director-General, forty-eight (48) hours and not an hour more, within which to fully obey and comply with the release order of the court in favour of all twelve detained associates of Mr. Sunday Igboho or face contempt proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction with the full weight and recompense of the court brought to bear against his insolence and disregard of court order.
“Take notice that we will not fail to exhaust all legal and social remedy available to the detainees in enforcing their rights in this matter and setting the tone against the SSS’ notorious disregard of due process and the rule of law.”
