Sunday Igboho takes N20bn battle against DSS to Supreme Court

Yoruba Nation agitator Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has taken his legal battle to the Supreme Court.

Igboho is challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision that nullified the N20 billion in damages awarded to him following the violent 2021 raid on his Ibadan residence by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The appeal, filed on March 11, 2025, through his lawyer, Yomi Aliyu (SAN), argues that the appellate court’s ruling was flawed and calls on the Supreme Court to reinstate the damages.

Igboho’s legal journey began after the July 2021 midnight raid on his Soka, Ibadan home; a military-style operation that shocked the nation. The DSS stormed his residence, reportedly killing two of his aides and arresting 12 others. The invasion left his home in ruins, sparking widespread condemnation and raising questions about the government’s handling of dissent.

In response, Igboho sued the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the DSS, and the DSS Director in Oyo State, seeking N5.5 billion in damages for the loss of lives and property.

In September 2021, the Oyo State High Court ruled in his favor, awarding N20 billion in exemplary and aggravated damages. The court found the DSS and AGF liable for the unlawful invasion, describing the operation as a clear violation of Igboho’s fundamental rights.

But in August 2022, the Court of Appeal in Ibadan overturned the judgment. Presiding judge Justice Muslim Hassan ruled that the lower court had misapplied legal principles in awarding the damages, stating that the trial judge lacked concrete evidence to quantify the losses suffered.

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The appellate court also held that the case, given its national security implications, did not qualify as a human rights enforcement matter. Additionally, it noted the absence of autopsy reports to confirm the alleged killings during the raid.

Undeterred, Igboho is now asking the Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision. He argues that the appellate court erred on several grounds, particularly in its dismissal of crucial evidence presented in the case.

One of his key contentions is that it was never his responsibility to produce autopsy reports for those allegedly killed, especially when the DSS did not deny the deaths in court.

Igboho also criticized the Court of Appeal’s rejection of special damages due to the lack of a valuation report, insisting that affidavit evidence and expert invoices were sufficient to detail his losses.

Furthermore, he maintained that the N20 billion awarded by the High Court was neither excessive nor inconsistent with legal principles, given the scale of destruction and the trauma inflicted during the invasion.

In a procedural twist, Igboho’s legal team also pointed out that the DSS and AGF’s response at the appellate court was filed outside the stipulated timeframe. This is a move that, they argue, raises serious questions about the validity of their submissions.

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