A new twist has been added to the legal battle between Nigeria’s Federal Government and foremost Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo.
This is as the federal government considers filing fresh charges against Sunday Igboho following a judgment by the Oyo State High Court ordering the government to pay the activist N20 billion for damages.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said the government had the right to appeal the judgment or file a fresh charge.
Igboho was awarded the sum by Justice Ladiran Akintola as “an exemplary and aggravated damages” against the AGF and the Department of State Services, over the invasion of Adeyemo’s home in Ibadan on July 1.
Malami said the position of the government was about “law and jurisdiction”
“As far as this matter is concerned, which court is it that has the jurisdiction to determine it? And as you rightly know, obedient to court orders and court judgments,” he said.
“But then you have to understand within the context of such obedience that there are associated rights and interests that are vested in the Federal Government.
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“Inclusive of rights of appealing against a judgment, inclusive of right to file an application for setting aside the purported judgment and order.
“And indeed, inclusive of the possibility of filling a fresh action if indeed the jurisdiction of the court that was alleged to have indeed handed that judgment is an issue.
“So, we are doing the needful in terms of looking at the law as it exists and then working within the context of the law in ensuring that justice is done as far as the contending issues between the parties are concerned,’’ the minister explained.
Recall that the Oyo High Court awarded N20 billion against DSS for the “illegal” invasion of Igboo’s home in Ibadan on July 1.
The invasion led to the arrest of 12 Igboho’s aides, as Igboho managed to escape arrest.
