The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ‘illegal detention

  • Nigerian sues Canadian govt for $10m over 8-month detention

    NIGERIA born Olajide Ogunye  is suing the Canadian government after he was held by Canada  immigration authorities for eight months in a top-security prison.

    Ogunye who is now a Canadian citizen was mistaken for a refugee with a different name.

    Now, he wants C$10m ($760,000, £571,000) as damages from government for the illegal detention.

    The 47-year-old man woke up on the morning of June 1, 2016 to find his home in Toronto surrounded by Canada Border Service agents.

    “It took me five minutes just to get to my car,” he told the BBC.

    Before he could drive off, an agent presented him with a warrant for the name Oluwafemi Kayode Johnson, a failed refugee claimant who had been deported from Canada in the 1990s whom the immigration authorities believed had illegally returned to the country.

    “That is not me,” he told them. He showed them several forms of ID, including his Canadian citizenship documents and a provincial health card. The agents told him they would “sort this out”, and drove him to their office where they fingerprinted him.

    There, they said his fingerprints matched Johnson’s and they booked him into Maplehurst Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison for dangerous offenders.

    “I wasn’t expecting something like that to me as a Canadian citizen,” Ogunye says.

    For the next 248 days, Ogunye would be incarcerated – first in Maplehurst and then in Central East Correctional Centre, another maximum-security prison – while CBSA investigated his case.

    Now that he is a free man, Ogunye is suing the government for C$10m for wrongful arrest and negligent investigation.

    CBSA spokesman Barre Campbell told the BBC the agency is “reviewing the matter” and that “it would be inappropriate” to comment further.

    His lawyer, Adam Hummel, says that the CBSA’s investigation was marked by delays and procedural irregularities that lengthened Ogunye’s stay in prison and took a toll on his mental and physical health.

    “For them to keep someone in jail for eight months… it is not really a good thing. I hope they don’t do this to somebody else and that is one of the reasons why I’m bringing this to court,” Ogunye says.

    Hummel also says the CBSA has never produced the fingerprint sample used to identify Ogunye as Johnson.

    Ogunye moved to Canada from Nigeria as a refugee with his parents in 1990, and obtained citizenship at 26 years old in 1996. He has several siblings in Canada, as well as two daughters, both born in Canada.

    At one point, his lawyer arranged for him to be granted bail, if two bondsmen would swear to his identity. The bondsmen swore that he was indeed Olajide Ogunye.

    But according to the statement of claim, the CBSA would not accept any proof that did not corroborate their belief that he was Johnson because “fingerprints don’t lie”.

    In prison, Ogunye says he was assaulted by fellow inmates and fell into a deep depression and was placed on suicide watch.

    “I’m crying like 24/7 in jail,” he says.

    This is not the first time Canada’s immigration detention system has fallen under scrutiny.

    A 2017 investigation by the Toronto Star found that about 114 immigration detainees were being held in jails and prisons for three months or more while the immigration and refugee board reviewed their cases. Less than 1% of detainees who have been incarcerated for six months or more are released, the investigation found.

    Ogunye was one of the lucky ones.

    Six months after his arrest, CBSA interviewed his brother and sister, according to the statement of claim.

    They confirmed he was their brother Ogunye, not Johnson and in February 2017 he was released.

    In his release report, the investigating officer wrote that “the person in custody may be Olajide Obabukunola Ogunye”, the statement of claim says.

    Since leaving prison, Ogunye says he has lost his job at a hair salon, which he held for 17 years, and his relationship with his daughters has deteriorated.

    Matters may have been complicated by Ogunye’s own past criminal record. According to Hummel, CBSA agents told his former lawyer that they did not believe Ogunye because of charges related to credit-card fraud and impersonation back in the 1990s.

    But his current lawyer says his past is irrelevant.

    “The minute he showed him he was a Canadian citizen, everything that they were doing that dealt with immigration was unlawful,” Hummel says.

  • Court awards N8.6m damages against police for illegal detention, torture

    A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has exonerated an alleged car snatcher, Revd Bright Igwe and further awarded the sum of eight million, six hundred thousand naira in his favour against the police as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights.

    Igwe was alleged to have snatched a Toyota 4 Runner Jeep allegedly owned by Dennet Archibong.

    In a suit No FHC/A1/CS/37/2017, Igwe and Sunday Oddi (1st and 2nd Applicants) sued Archibong (first Respondent); Inspector Anayo from SARS, Abakaliki (second Respondent); the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi state (third Respondent); Inspector Michael Bassey, Zone 6, Calabar (fourth Respondent);

    Others joined in the suit are the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar (fifth Respondent); and the Inspector General of Police (sixth Respondent).

    The applicants were seeking the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights allegedly violated by the Respondents.

    Oddi was said to have stood in for Igwe on administrative bail on October 21, 2016 at the Area Command, Abakaliki over a dispute between the Igwe and one Ejike Obi regarding money Igwe borrowed from him (Obi) to buy a Toyota 4 Runner jeep.

    Archibong lodged a complaint to the police against Igwe on December 2, 2016 over the said vehicle. The police were said to have arrested Oddi on April 27, 2017 and was allegedly detained, tortured, humiliated by 2nd and 3rd Respondents for two days before he was released.

    Igwe’s Counsel C.R.O. Agha emphasised that when the police arrested and detained her client, there was a pending fundamental right suit involving the same Toyota 4 Runner jeep in which the police was a party and while the matter was still pending, the police was ordered not to arrest Igwe in relation to the said car pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    She noted that there was no evidence that the vehicle alleged to have been snatched from Archibong was the same with that of the applicant.

    Justine Akintayo Aluko ruled that the harassment, embarrassment, intimidation, arrest and detention of the first and second Applicants made by the second-sixth Respondents upon the instigation of the first Respondent was oppressive, unconstitutional and constitute a gross violation of the first Applicant’s fundamental rights as enshrined in sections 34(1), 35(1), and 41(1) of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

    Aluko said: “the sum of N5 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the first Applicant against the second-sixth Respondents as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights”.

    “The sum of N1 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the first Applicant against the first Respondent as damages and compensation for instigating the police to violate the fundamental rights of the first Applicant.

    “The sum of N2 million only is hereby awarded in favour of the second Applicant against the second-third Respondents as damages and compensation for violation of his fundamental rights”.

    “The sum of N500, 000 only is hereby awarded in favour of the second Applicant against the first Respondent as damages and compensation for instigating the police to violate the fundamental rights of the second Applicant. The cost of this action, assessed in the sum of N100, 000 only is hereby awarded in favour of the Applicants against the Respondents”.

    “The Respondents are hereby ordered to tender written public apology to the Applicants for the unlawful and baseless violation of their fundamental rights”.

    The Judge also restrained the Respondents jointly and severally by themselves or agents from further threat, arrest and detention of the Applicants without any reasonable suspicion of any offence committed by the Applicants.

  • Court orders police to pay victim N80m for illegal detention, prosecution

    The Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has ordered the Nigeria Police and a Lagos businessman, Rapheal Obi,  to pay N80 million to a clearing agent, Rapheal Okonkwo, for illegal detention, torture and malicious prosecution.

    Justice Babajide Candide-Johnson held that Okonkwo’s arrest, detention and prosecution before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate Court for alleged theft of a 40ft container, containing Topgel MC valued at N36.4 million, was unlawful and malicious.

    The court noted that the police failed to conduct any credible investigation before prosecuting Okonkwo.

    The judge held that the action of the police was “a patent and blatant abuse by the Police of the enormous powers of criminal prosecution.

    “The entire investigation by the Police, according to the court, and the evidence given in this court was the reception of a petition in respect of the case, the arrest of the accused person and the taking of his statement.

    “They did not give evidence of any investigation as to the theft of the container. Therefore, their evidence is of no use in determining the guilt or otherwise of Okonkwo”, the court held.

    Okonkwo was discharged and acquitted in charge No A/55/2004 by Chief  Magistrate Akintunde Olufemi Isaac.

    Through his lawyer, Abang Mkpandiok, he sued at the High Court, seeking among others, a declaration that his prosecution by the Police in charge A/55/2004, on the instigation of Rapheal Obi was malicious and injurious to him.

    He demanded N100million as damages.

    Justice Candide-Johnson said he believed the submission of the claimant that the attack on him was to avoid payment of a N60 million indebtedness.

    The judge also held that it was Obi who arranged the movement of Okonkwo from the detention of the Police at the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos  to Special anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    “What exactly does this case have to do with armed robbery and SARS who are specifically a squad to tackle armed robbers? I can only arrive at one inference that the movement of Okonkwo to SARS was activated by an unjustifiable intention to inflict injury on him and a desire to cause him harm.

    “On the totality of evidence before this court, I hold that Rapheal Okonkwo has credibly established and proved all the requisite ingredients of malicious  prosecution.

    “Accordingly, I enter judgement forthwith in favour of Okonkwo against Rapheal Obi, Superintendent  Ibrahim Haruna Ishaq and the Inspector General of Police that the prosecution of Okonkwo in charge No A/55/2004 on the instigation of Rapheal Obi is malicious and injurious.

    “N80 million is awarded against all the defendants jointly and severally,” Justice Candide-Johnson said.

  • Court dismisses judge’s ‘illegal detention’ suit against EFCC

    Court dismisses judge’s ‘illegal detention’ suit against EFCC

    Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday dismissed a suit by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia seeking to declare her detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) illegal.
    Justice Ajumogobia, who was transferred from the court’s Lagos Division to Ilorin, was detained for allegedly collecting N5 million gratification from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Godwin Obla.
    Her transfer came after she was sanctioned by the National Judicial Council (NJC), which barred her from elevation to a higher court for gross misconduct.
    She and Obla were on Monday arraigned on a 30-count charge at the Lagos High Court for allegedly conspiring to pervert justice last May 21.
    The commission said Obla transferred N5 million to Nigel & Colive Ltd, a company the judge was sole signatory to.
    Ajumogobia, through her lawyer Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), sought to enforce her fundamental rights.
    Dismissing the suit, Justice Hassan held that the remand order EFCC obtained from a Magistrates’ Court to detain the judge was valid.
    According to Justice Hassan, the remand order was issued pursuant to Section 264 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    The judge refused to make an order releasing her from EFCC’s custody since she had been admitted to bail by Justice Hakeem Oshodi.
    “The issue of the applicant’s bail from EFCC’s custody has been overtaken by the event of her arraignment at the Lagos High Court and her subsequent release on bail by the court.
    “The applicant’s lawyer is also at liberty to challenge the continued detention of the applicant by the respondent after the expiration of the Magistrates’ Court’s remand order.
    “In light of recent events in this matter, this suit is hereby struck out,” the judge held.

  • EFCC kicks as Obla seeks N1b for ‘illegal’ detention

    EFCC kicks as Obla seeks N1b for ‘illegal’ detention

    •Commission charges judge, SAN

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday prayed the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss an application by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Godwin Obla, to award him N1 billion damages for alleged illegal detention by the commission.
    Obla was detained for allegedly bribing Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court with N5 million.
    In a motion on notice filed through his lawyer Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), Obla prayed the court to declare his detention illegal.
    Arguing the motion before Justice Mohammed Idris yesterday, Adedipe said his client was detained beyond the constitutionally stipulated period.
    “He came to their Lagos (EFCC) office and they detained him. They marched his junior to the car and seized his phone. All these were done without a court order,” he said.
    Adedipe said EFCC granted Obla administrative bail in Abuja in another “Halliburton case”, and yet detained him in Lagos.
    He said the constitution provides that every citizen is presumed innocent until proved guilty, adding that no citizen should be detained beyond 48 hours.
    “All provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) that purports to detaining any citizen for more than 48 hours are unconstitutional and null and void,” he said.
    Adedipe said Obla reported at EFCC on November 8, adding that he ought to be charged to court soon after.
    “The provision in the ACJA that a suspect can be detained for 14 days is unconstitutional and we urge this court to declare those sections illegal,” Adedipe added.
    Besides, he said seizing Obla’s phones violated his right to own property, adding: “The respondent (EFCC) is oppressing my client.”
    He sought N1 billion damages from EFCC for the alleged illegal detention, as well as an order declaring his client’s detention illegal and releasing his phone.
    But, EFCC’s lawyer Mr. Oyedepo Rotimi urged the court to dismiss the application. He said the commission did not violate any law in detaining Obla.
    Rotimi said Obla was invited upon reasonable suspicion that he bribed a judge.
    “We got an intelligence report that the applicant gratified Justice Ajumogobia by paying N5 million into a company belonging to her,” he said.
    The prosecution counsel said Obla was admitted to bail in a different case and that after he reported in Lagos on November 8, the commission applied to a Magistrates’ Court for a remand warrant the following day.
    “There was no application seeking to set aside or vacate that order. And there’s no appeal against the order of the Magistrates’ Court,” he said.
    Rotimi urged the court to refuse to be used as a shield by the applicant to prevent EFCC from carrying out its lawful duties.
    According to him, the constitution allows the right of a citizen to be curtailed by a court order.
    “The order to remand the applicant by the Magistrates’ Court was in order and his remand pursuant to the order was constitutional and lawful,” he said.
    On the seizure of Obla’s phone, Rotimi said the right to own property was not absolute, adding that the EFCC registered the phone as an exhibit.
    “Releasing the exhibit will be extremely prejudicial to the respondent’s right to fair hearing,” he said.
    According to him, there was reasonable suspicion that Obla used the phone to communicate with Justice Ajumogobia.
    “We urge your lordship to refuse and dismiss the application,” he said.
    Rotimi said EFCC had filed a charge against Justice Ajumogobia and Obla at the Lagos State High Court on the issue.
    In the 30-count charge, EFCC said Justice Ajumogobia and Obla allegedly committed an offence on May 21, 2015, by conspiring to pervert justice with N5 million.
    All offences are said to be contrary to the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011 and the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
    Justice Idris adjourned till Friday for a ruling on Obla’s application.

  • Firm sues Customs for N50m over MD’s ‘illegal detention’

    Firm sues Customs for N50m over MD’s ‘illegal detention’

    •‘We did nothing wrong’

    Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court, Lagos will on September 19, begin hearing in a N50 million suit filed by a firm, Afriglobe Shipping Lines Ltd, against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for alleged illegal detention of its Managing Director, Christian Ukata.

    In an originating summon filed by the firm through its counsel,  Charles Ugwuanyi, Ukata said he was wrongfully detained by the NCS officials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, last November.

    He said he was accused of being in unlawful possession of foreign exchange, which he had voluntarily declared at the NCS desk.

    The firm, in its statement of claim, averred that in November, last year, it was contracted by Aerodocs Inc. USA to clear its cargo at Republic of Chad and deliver same to Millicom, Chad at an agreed cost of $46,731.

    The payment, according to the firm, was subsequently made through Access Bank Plc.

    After confirming the arrival of the cargo at Ndjamena Airport, Chad, the firm averred that it withdrew $42,200 from the amount paid into its Access Bank Plc account and detailed Ukata to travel to Ndjamena via Duala Airport for the purpose of clearing and delivery of the cargo.

    Ukata claimed that he made an arrangement to travel on November 15, 2015 with a view to clearing the cargo on November 16, so as to avoid incurring demurrage.

    On getting to the Lagos Airport, the firm said Ukata went through all the departure formalities including declaring the $42,200 with him before two NCS officials, one Mrs Oshilaja and Mr K. S. Ugboaja.

    The declared foreign exchange according to the firm was accompanied with relevant Waybills, Invoice and Inflow advise from Access Bank Plc to establish the legitimacy of the source and the use of the fund.

    The firm stated that the matter however took a twist after Ukata turned down an overture by the NCS officials for a tip before he could be allowed to board his flight. The two officials, according to the firm’s court deposition, allegedly threatened to detain Ukata if he did not settle them.

    The firm further averred that the two officials allegedly threatened Ukata that they had a ‘Presidential directive’ to seize and confiscate any foreign exchange brought before them whether voluntarily declared or not.

    It averred that Ukata was subsequently prevented from travelling, detained at the NCS airport cell, near Hajj Camp from about 5pm on November 15, until the next day when he was transferred to the Ikoyi office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for “failing to do their bidding”.

    “After five days of investigation, the EFCC cleared Mr Ukata from any money laundering allegation and handed back to him, the seized money and travel documents.”

    It added that Ukata and his firm lost the clearing contract as Aerodoc had secured the services of another firm to avoid incurring demurrage on the cargo.

    The firm is consequently seeking  N50m in damages against the NCS for false imprisonment and unlawful detention of Ukata, loss of business, loss of goodwill, exposure to breach of contract and unutilised air ticket.

    The firm is also seeking a declaration by the court that the purported presidential directive ordering seizure of foreign exchange at the airport whether declared or not, is unconstitutional, Illegal, null and void.

    But, in its statement of defence, NCS  absolved itself of any wrong doing, stating that its two officials, who were on duty when the incident happened were members of a Presidential Committee on Trans-Border Cash Movement and were taking directives from the Presidency and not Nigeria Customs Service.

  • Illegal detention: Court orders DSS, minister to pay Saraki’s aide N20m

    Illegal detention: Court orders DSS, minister to pay Saraki’s aide N20m

    An Abuja Federal High Court has ordered the Department of State Services ( DSS) and Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, to pay the sum of N20 million to the Special Assistant to the Senate President on youth matters, Mr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, as penalty for his illegal arrest and detention.

    The court presided over by Justice J. T. Tsoho also ordered the DSS and the minister to tender unreserved apology to Ugochinyere in two national dailies for what he described unconstitutional detention.

    The ruling was in pursuant of sections 34, 35(1) 36, 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

    Ugochinyere who is also President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) had in a suit, FHC (ABJ) (CS) 342/2016 prayed the court to declare his arrest and detention by DSS for about a month was a violation of his fundamental human right.

    The Court also barred DSS or similar agencies from re-arresting or detaining the youth leader.

    The Tsoho declared the arrest and detention of the applicant as “unlawful, unconstitutional, oppressive, malicious and a gross violation” of Ugochinyere’s freedom of movement.

    The Judge ordered Dalung and DSS to tender public apology to Ugochinyere in two national dailies.

    The legal team of Ugochinyere however claimed that they were informed that DSS has perfected plans to re-arrest Ugochinyere and charge him with a trumped up charges.

    The team urged the DSS to obey the rule of law by abiding by the judgment of a competent court of law rather than being used as instruments to settle political goals.

    The judgment was delivered on Thursday, July 7th, 2016.

  • Illegal detention: Court orders EFCC, NDLEA to pay man N2m

    Illegal detention: Court orders EFCC, NDLEA to pay man N2m

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday awarded N2million damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for detaining a businessman, Lawrence Ejiofor, for more than 30 days without trial.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa said the agencies violated the applicant’s rights by arresting and detaining him for no valid reason.

    He ordered that $96,500 dollars (about N19million) seized from Ejiofor should be returned to him. The respondents must also publish an apology to him in two national newspapers, the judge said.

    The applicant, a businessman, was returning from a trip from Tanzania aboard Ethiopian Airline last April 16 when NDLEA officials found the money on him at the arrival tube.

    Ejiofor’s lawyer, Dr Chima Nnaji, said his client was not allowed to declare the foreign exchange at the Nigerian Customs Service Declaration Point as required by law.

    Instead, NDLEA officials arrested the applicant for money laundering, saying they suspected the money to be proceeds of drug business.

    After detaining him for over 30 days, they handed him over to the EFCC for further investigation.

    When the commission found that Ejiofor was not involved in money laundering, it discharged him but still held onto the money.

    His lawyer sought a declaration that searching the applicant at the arrival tube before being able to declare the foreign currency was illegal as it violated his right to freedom from compulsory acquisition of moveable property as guaranteed under Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

    He prayed the court to hold that the continued seizure of the $96,500 for several months is unconstitutional and to order the money’s release.

    Ejiofor sought N20million as compensation for his unlawful detention from April 16 to May 16, 2014.

    NDLEA had argued that the applicant’s arrest was lawful “given the suspicious manner he conducted himself on arrival at the airport from Tanzania.”

    The agency said he “lacked an understanding of the requirement for the declaration at Customs point at the point of entry into Nigeria.”

    EFCC said it was only investigating Ejiofor for money laundering, adding that it “acted within its statutory powers to commence investigation against the applicant under the circumstances of this case.”

  • Alleged N627m scam: Businessman accuses EFCC of illegal detention

    Alleged N627m scam: Businessman accuses EFCC of illegal detention

    •Buhari, IGP petitioned  •Agency denies claim

    THE Federal Government has been urged to investigate alleged torture and illegal detention of the Managing Director of Kafisto Oil and Gas Ltd, Mr. Uwem Antia and his business partner, Alhaji Suleiman Yerima by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.

    He was allegedly detained over a N627 million foreign exchange deal, which purportedly belonged to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Yerima, who addressed reporters yesterday in Abuja, said he had petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase on the alleged inhuman treatment and torture meted out to them while in EFCC detention for 80 days without trial.

    The businessman alleged that his partner, Antia, was tortured, beaten and his legs broken by EFCC operatives in Lagos in an attempt to force him to confess to an offence he did not commit.

    But EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren denied the allegations.

    Yerima alleged that despite a court order that his lawyer be contacted any time the EFCC needed his attention, the operatives went into his ex-wife house in Lagos, took her away with a Mercedes Car belonging to him.

    He added that till now, the whereabouts of his former wife is unknown.

    The businessman accused the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, the Director of Operation of EFCC in Lagos, Iliyasu Kwarbai and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Joseph Mbu, of violating their fundamental rights over a business transaction that was legitimately carried out without any of the parties involved complaining.

    The businessman said he was approached by Antia, who brought customers to him, to raise dollars for him, saying N627 million had been paid into his (Antia’s) account and that he should source the dollar equivalent.

    Yerima said he raised $1 million that day and gave same to Mr. Gladys Aginwa and Dennis Ale, who acknowledged receipt in their handwriting.

    He said the balance of $2.250 million was raised the following day and paid to Dennis and Aginwa, which they equally acknowledged in their handwriting.

    Yerima explained that he was surprised when the EFCC operatives invaded his house and that of his friend and arrested them on allegation that he defrauded some people in a forex deal.

    He said it was in the course of investigations that the EFCC operatives alleged that the money belonged to the former first lady.

    The businessman added that the EFCC demanded the original copies of the documents regarding the transaction, but they refused for fears that they could be destroyed.

    He said they insisted they would make them available only in court, adding that it was at this point that the EFCC operatives began to torture them.

    Yerima alleged that his life and that of his partner were in danger and urged the President to expedite action on his petition.

    He described the leadership of the EFCC as corrupt, alleging that its top operatives demanded $500,000 dollars from them.

    However, the spokesperson of the EFCC dismissed the allegations against top officials of the agency.

    Uwujaren referred to an EFCC statement dated March 9, this year, saying Yerima and Antia are fraudsters and would be arraigned accordingly pending conclusion of investigation.

    He said the EFCC does not torture or maltreat accused persons.

    He added that the duo were yet to pay the balance of $2.250 million dollars to the other businessmen.

    Uwujaren alleged that it amounted to cheap blackmail on the part of the accused persons to petition the president that top officials of the anti-graft agency were demanding bribe from them.

     

  • Benin chief sues police chief for ‘illegal detention’

    A prominent transporter and the Aiyobahan of Benin Kingdom in Edo State, Chief John Osamede Adun, has filed a suit against Police Commissioner Samuel Adegbuyi at a Federal High Court in Benin for alleged illegal detention.

    Adun said he was detained at the Commissioner’s office for 10 hours without justification.

    He is demanding N10 million, being the general and exemplary damages for the alleged infringement on his rights to personal liberty and the right to dignity of human person.

    In the suit filed by his counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, the Benin chief described the action of the police commissioner as unlawful, unconstitutional and a serious infringement on his fundamental right to personal liberty, as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    Adun is asking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondent, his agents, servants or privies from further interference with the constitutionally guaranteed rights of his liberty in respect of the issue of banning of levy collection through tickets on the road in Edo State and any other matter whatsoever connected with without probable reasonable and justifiable case.