The Lagos High Court, Ikeja will on December 10 deliver judgment in a N1.060billion fundamental rights enforcement case filed by two traumatised parents, Mr Steven Amos and his wife Doris, over the sudden disappearance of their son, Kingsley Amos, 14 years ago.
Justice L.A.F. Oluyemi adjourned for judgment following the inability of the respondents to defend the matter since it was filed and served on them.
The applicants in a motion on notice dated March 8, 2022, filed and argued by their counsel, Eze G. Alala, prayed the court to declare that the raid, arrest, detention and torture of Kingsley infringed on his fundamental human rights.
The suit marked ID/13107MFHR/22 has Mr Steven Amos, Mrs Doris Amos and Kingsley Amos as first to third applicants.
Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General, the Lagos Ministry of Youths and Social Development, the Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) are the first to fifth respondents.
The applicants want the court to make an order mandating the Police and other respondents to disclose where Kingsley, who was unlawfully arrested in front of their home in Ojodu, has been kept since January 11, 2010.
They prayed for an order to release him forthwith as detained, alive or dead, or disclose where he had been kept since then.
They are also asking for N1billion jointly and severally against the respondents for the arrest, detention and torture of Kingsley and the mental and psychological torture coupled with ridicule which his parents have been subjected to by the agents/officers of the respondents.
The plaintiffs are also asking for N50 million as exemplary damages jointly and severally against the respondents for the unlawful arrest and detention.
They prayed for “an order compelling the respondents to publicly apologise to the applicants in the national dailies for the unlawful raid, arrest, detention and torture of the third applicant, as well as paying 21 per cent interest on judgment sum from the date of the detention of the third applicant until final liquidation of the judgment and cost of action in the sum of N10 million.”
The applicants stated that Kingsley, who was about 30 in 2010, developed a mental sickness and was undergoing treatment when the state government through their agents raided the Ojodu Area and took him away while sitting in front of their house at No. 40 Bashiru Street Ojodu, without their consent or knowledge.
“He was taken to Majidun Rehabilitation Centre on January 11, 2010, and to date, Kingsley has been detained and or killed by the respondents and their agents/officers who have refused, neglected and blatantly objected to disclosing his whereabouts while under the first and third respondents’ custody,” they claimed.
The applicants said upon the illegal arrest, they searched for three days and moved from one centre to the other before they finally found him at Majidun Rehabilitation Centre on January 14, 2010.
They explained that they met with the authorities of the first and third respondents on that date and they confirmed that their son was in their custody.
“The first and second applicants complied with the procedures as they were directed for the treatment of their son with their details for easy communication and were interviewed by two different doctors at appropriate dates scheduled for them and treatment commenced on Kingsley by the doctors, as the first and second applicants visited severally with food items which were documented.
“Surprisingly, on April 14, 2010, the first and second applicants went to visit their son in the Centre, but were told by the agents and staff of the Lagos government that an order came from Alausa ordering the transfer of their son together with a few other persons to an undisclosed location.
“The applicants have made every attempt to inquire as to the place, time and modalities for the alleged transfer of their son, but none of the staff of the first and third respondents is willing to give further information and the third applicant is still missing till date without any effort by the respondents towards bringing back the first child and son of the first and second applicants since January 11, 2010 till date,” Alala explained.
He stated that the actions of the respondents of arresting, detaining and deliberately dehumanising Kingsley were unconstitutional and unlawful.
