Group condemns DSS invasion of Igboho’s house, describes action as ‘unprofessional, misuse of power

Ayodele Olalere

The recent invasion of the residence of Ibadan based Yoruba nation agitator, Mr. Sunday Igboho, by men of the Department of State Security, DSS, has been described as ‘horrific, unprofessional and absolute misuse of power.’

While condemning the action of the security agency, a group, Access to Justice, A2J, in a statement signed by it’s Convener, Joseph Otteh,  stated that DSS erred in carrying out the”illegal’  operation.

“Access to Justice denounces the horrific and brutal manner the DSS “raided” the residence of Sunday Igboho. First, the so-called raid, in planning and execution was predicated on, and accompanied with needless and tragic violence, leading to avoidable loss of human lives, and was therefore, unconstitutional and illegitimate.

The Constitution of Nigeria recognizes powers of law enforcement and security operatives to conduct arrests, searches and detain persons and crime suspects. But those powers are required to be exercised prudently and responsibly. Sec. 4 and 5 the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) provides for how an arrest may be made,” it stated.

“An arrest is made by simply touching a person or confining him, and not by using lethal force! Where a search of a building is to be made, Sections 12 and 149 of ACJA establish that a demand to conduct that search shall first be made to a person residing, or in charge of the building and where that demand is refused, the person authorized to conduct the search may then, according to Section 9(2), break open any outer or inner door or window of any house or place.

 

“There is no authority or power given to security forces, on arriving a place to make an arrest or conduct a search, to commence or conduct the process by lethal force, armed hostilities and violence.

” The DSS choose not to make public whether its operatives complied with these procedural requirements. It did not say which party commenced the hostilities; the DSS did not say whether its officials announced themselves as State agents or not before the shooting began; the DSS did not state whether its operatives disclosed to residents of the building that they had an arrest or search warrant and were in the building to execute the warrants,” it added.

The group also condemned the parade of those arrested in Igboho’s house by DSS, describing it as illegal, stating it violated s

Section 2 of the Anti-Torture Act 2017.

” In the light of the forgoing, Access to Justice demands the immediate resignation or removal of the Director of the State Security Service alongside the resignationa and removal of all officials of the agency who authorized the ill-fated raid on the residence of Sunday Igboho, a thorough investigation into the attack on the residence of Sunday Igboho, and prosecution of all those whose conduct was reckless and unjustifiable.”