Home raid: Igboho drags DSS to S’Court over N20bn damages

Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the Court of Appeal’s ruling that nullified the N20bn damages awarded to him against the Department of State Services and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Igboho initially sued the AGF, the DSS, and the DSS Director in Oyo State, demanding N5.5bn in damages over the July 2021 raid on his Ibadan residence, during which two people were reportedly killed and 12 others arrested.

In September 2021, an Oyo State High Court ruled in his favor, awarding N20bn in damages against the AGF and the DSS, holding them liable for the invasion.

However, in August 2022, the Court of Appeal in Ibadan overturned the decision.

Presiding judge Justice Muslim Hassan ruled that the lower court misapplied legal principles in awarding the damages, arguing that the trial judge lacked concrete evidence to quantify the losses suffered at Igboho’s residence.

He held that the case did not qualify as a human rights enforcement matter due to national security concerns and stated that no autopsy reports were provided to confirm the alleged killings during the raid. 

But disastified with the appellate court judgment, Ighoho, through his lawyer, Yomi Aliyu (SAN), has filed an appeal dated  March 11, 2025 at the Supreme Court.

He argued that the Court of Appeal erred in its judgment and asks the Supreme Court to overturn the decision.

Igboho also argues that it was not his duty to produce autopsy reports for those allegedly killed, as the DSS did not deny the killings in court.

He also faulted the Appeal Court for rejecting special damages due to the absence of a valuation report, despite affidavit evidence and expert invoices detailing the losses. He maintained that the aggravated and exemplary damages assessed by the trial judge were neither irrational nor inconsistent with legal principles.

Additionally, he contended that the DSS and AGF’s response at the Court of Appeal was filed outside the stipulated timeframe, raising questions about the validity of their submissions.

The Supreme Court is now expected to rule on the appeal, potentially setting a legal precedent on government accountability and self-determination rights in Nigeria.