The Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has frowned at the absence of the counsel for the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the suit filed by an Ijaw rights activist, Collins Opumie, over his alleged two years illegal detention in the Department of the State Services (DSS).
The plaintiff, Opumie, had alleged that the security department of the NAOC falsely accused him of being a threat to the company, causing him to be illegally arrested and detained in an underground detention facility in Abuja for two years without access to medical facilities and family.
Opumie, in the suit No: YC/324/2022, demanded the sum of N9bn in damages and prayed the court to declare that his arrest, torture and subsequent detention without proper food and medical attention and access to family members for two years, was a gross violation of his fundamental rights.
Justice Iniekinimi Abraham Uzaka, at the hearing of the substantive suit, was informed by the lawyers of the Nigeria Police Force and the plaintiff, Ebipreye Sese, that the DSS lawyers and that of the NAOC were absent.
While the counsel for the DSS informed the court that their absence was due to urgent national engagement in Abuja, the counsel for the NAOC did not tender any explanation.
Justice Uzaka, however, adjourned the suit until May 4 for hearing.
Speaking at the end of the court’s sitting, counsel for the claimant, Ebipreye Sese, noted that despite the adjournment, justice would be dispensed by the court.
He stated: “Ordinarily, today was for mention and this is the very first time the matter has come before the court for proceedings to commence.
“But it was quite unfortunate that the DSS advanced a letter for adjournment, saying that its lawyer had a national assignment and by virtue of that, proceedings could not commence. So the matter has been adjourned to May 4 in order to commence proceedings.
“As a matter of fact, the 1st defendant is Agip and they have not made any attempt to respond and have not even appeared in court. They have been duly served and I believe in the next adjourned date, they would be in court for justice to be done.”
Also speaking to newsmen after the court’s proceedings, the National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, expressed dismay at how oil companies deliberately undermined the people of the Niger Delta in carrying out their activities.
Ekerefe further said the IYC would continue to fight against injustice meted out to any Ijaw sons and daughters, adding that Opumie’s case was one among so many cases of Ijaw youths that had been illegally arrested and detained and in which nothing had been done.
He expressed dissatisfaction that Agip was handling the matter with levity, stressing that they have been served with the court’s proceedings and expressed the hope that by the next adjourned date, Agip would appear in court.