Hooded operatives of the Department of State Service(DSS) believed to have come from the Ogun State Command of the DSS on Monday, May 13, allegedly stormed the premises of a state high court sitting in Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewa South Local Government Area of the state and arrested two persons in a commando fashion.
The two – Alhaji Isiaka Fatai and Samuel Oyero, were bundled out of the court premises, allegedly, in flagrant disobedience to the order of the Court and the age of Alhaji Fatai – and taken away after they were also beaten up.
While open assault and arrest lasted, an atmosphere of pandemonium and confusion enveloped the court premises as panic – striken members of the public within the vicinity scampered to different directions for safety.
The two, The Daily Crucible learnt, were in court on Monday over matters pertaining to suit No HCP/IC/2023 to wit: The State vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others, which is before Justice A.A. Shobayo.
The case bordered on an allegation of arson reported by one Chief Akeem Adigun (aka Socopao) in which Alhaji Isiaka Fatai, Oyero and 12 others had appeared on Monday as defendants before the ugly scenario unfolded.
In a statement by their lawyer, Kehinde Bamiwola Esq, he alleged that the men of the DSS operatives used weapons on the two, stressing that “Alhaji Isiaka Fatai was beaten, slapped, man-handled, rough-handled and molested publicity to the extent that one of the Court’s staff telling them to obey the order of the court by desisting from carrying out any arrest within the court premises was hit, molested and wounded in facie curiae (meaning- in the face of the court).”
The Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court, Ilaro, Comrade Omololu Olusanya who confirmed the incident, described it as shocking and disrespectful to the rule of law.
He lamented that even after the judge had ordered the operatives not to make any arrest within the court premises, they still proceeded to arrest the two persons.
“They still went ahead and did the act to the extent that they assaulted one of our staff members, Mrs. Fadina, while doing that act. It’s a very sad issue that caused a lot of noise within the court premises.
“It was from the source that we heard they were DSS agents. If anybody sees them, one would think they were armed robbers.
“They did not wear anything that identified them as DSS, but they came to my lord this morning and said they had some people to arrest. That was when we knew they were DSS officers.
“They approached the judge before the court session began. The honorable judge advised them that if they wanted to make an arrest, it must not be done within the court premises.
“They could stay outside and do whatever they wanted, but they refused that advice and carried out the arrest within the premises.” he said.
