The Department of State Services has said paying the N20bn damages awarded against it by an Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, to the leader of Yoruba nation, Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho), will affect the economy.

The secret police added that the Yoruba leader was under extradition procedure to Nigeria.

These were stated in court documents made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.

The DSS had invaded Igboho’s house in Ibadan, killing two of his aides, while 12 others were arrested.

The 49-year-old agitator, who escaped the bloody raid, was declared wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms to destabilise Nigeria.

Igboho was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while trying to flee to Germany.

The Benin court on July 27, ordered that he should be remanded in a facility in the country.

Meanwhile, Igboho sued the Federal Government for the raid at the Ibadan High Court, which awarded N20bn damages against the secret police.

However, in an affidavit sworn to by the DSS titled, ‘Applicants affidavit in support of its motion on notice for stay of execution of judgment of this suit No/M/435/2021 and an injunction pending the determination of the appeal,’ an operative of the DSS, Johnson Oluwole, stated that Igboho was undergoing extradition procedure to Nigeria.

He stated, “That it is a fact that the applicant, Chief Sunday Igboho, has been declared a fugitive by the Nigeria Police Force sometimes in the month of June, 2021.

“That it is a fact that the applicant was arrested on the 19th of July 2021 and is currently in the custody of the Beninese security agents undergoing extradition procedure back to Nigeria.

“That it is fact that the applicant is under investigation by the security agents for treasonable act that is inimical to the corporate existence of the country.

“That it is fact that one of the reliefs granted by this honourable court is that the respondents pay the plaintiff N20bn as exemplary damages.

“That it is a fact that withdrawing a whopping sum of N20bn from the country’s economy would adversely affect the smooth running of the country.”

Credit: PUNCH