Court dismisses woman’s N50m suit against IGP

By Robert Egbe

The Federal High Court in Lagos has struck out a N50 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a businesswoman, Omotosho Omolara, against the Inspector-General of Police and five others.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo held that the court lacked jurisdiction. He ordered Omolara to pay N30,000 as costs to the first, second, third and sixth respondents.

He made the order in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/215/2018, after upholding the argument of the respondents’ counsel, Mr Morufu Animashaun of the legal department of Force CID, Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.

Omotosho had accused first to sixth respondents – the IGP, Commissioner of Police, General Investigation Unit, Force CID, Alagbon; Superintendent Abiodun Bamgboshe; Tajudeen Oladega; Peter Odey and Olujimi Bucknor – of breaching her fundamental rights.

The judge held: “l entirely agree with the respondents that the claims of the applicant cannot be adjudicated as one of the enforcement of fundamental rights. Accordingly, this court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain same. In line with Order 8 rules 5 and 6 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 this application is struck out.”