DSS invades court session, arrests defendants in Ogun

Operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS) have reportedly invaded an Ogun State High Court sitting in Ilaro and whisked away two defendants despite the presiding judge’s warning.

It was learnt that Justice A.A. Shobayo was the presiding judge at the court on Tuesday.

The defendants, simply identified as Alhaji Isiaka Fatai and Samuel Oyero, were being tried in a suit marked HCP/IC/2023 between the State vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others.

It was gathered that the case was sequel to a crisis that recently broke out in the Agosasa community in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state over an Obaship tussle which led to the destruction of property worth billions of naira and loss of life.

Meanwhile, when the hearing was ongoing, men of the DSS stormed the court session and took away the suspects.

Confirming the incident, Counsel to Alhaji Isiaka, Kehinde Bamiwola, in a statement, alleged that men of the DSS operatives used weapons on the two, stressing that “Alhaji Isiaka Fatai was beaten, slapped, man-handled, rough-handled and molested.”

Also speaking, the Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court, Ilaro, Omololu Olusanya, confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking and disrespectful to the rule of law.

He stressed 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.

Olusanya disclosed that, “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 honourable 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.”

“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,” Olusanya added.