The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Ekiti police warn politicians not to cause trouble

    Ekiti police warn politicians not to cause trouble

    The police in Ekiti State have raised the alarm over alleged plots by some politicians and their supporters to cause breakdown of law and order over the results of the primaries conducted by parties in the state.

    Its spokesman, Victor Babayemi, said intelligence reports showed that some politicians, who are aggrieved by the results of the just concluded parties’ primaries, are planning to throw the state into chaos.

    This, according to him, was intended to “create pandemonium and fear in the minds of law-abiding residents “.

    He said the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, enjoined those who are aggrieved by the primary results  to explore legal and constitutional channels to seek redress rather than taking law into their hands

    The statement reads: “The state command is following with keen interest, the fallout trailing the recently conducted parties’ primary elections in the state.

    “Intelligence reports reveal that some aggrieved politicians, who lost out in the election, are planning to create pandemonium and fear in the minds of law abiding residents.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, wishes to state that those seeking elective positions are not expected to cause problem for the people they are aspiring to serve.

    “Therefore, he enjoins all aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to tow the line of justice by seeking redress through the right channel.”

    The command has arrested five suspects for the gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in Ikole-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area.

    According to a statement, Olaoluwa Gbenga (20), Dada Samson (18), Saliu Kazeem (19), Olaoluwa Lekan (20) and Aribaloye Lekan (20) were arrested on November 21 at 2pm.

    “The victim’s scream attracted neighbours to the room where the suspects were caught in the act. Detectives were contacted immediately and the suspects were arrested.

    “The victim was taken to the hospital and the result of medical examiner confirmed the incident. Suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.”

    The police are also investigating a murder in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti South West Local Government Area in which four suspects have been arrested.

    “The case involves Sylvester Godwin (14). The incident occurred on December 4 at Oko Oba Camp, Erinjiyan Road, Ilawe Ekiti, at about 9am.

    “Johnson Esharefa (45) left three children, including the deceased, with a loaded Dane gun unattended to.

    “One of the children, allegedly fiddling with the gun, shot the victim to death. The murder weapon has been recovered while four suspects, including Esharefa, are now in custody undergoing interrogation,” the statement said.

  • Police ‘attack’ protesting Ilaje students

    Police ‘attack’ protesting Ilaje students

    Igbokoda community in Ondo State woke up to the fury of students, who took to the streets protesting what they called protracted blackout in the community.

    The protesters, under the aegis of National Association of Ilaje Students (NAIS), said for six years Igbokoda, an oil-producing community and headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, had no power supply.

    But, riot policemen attacked the students, leaving one of them shot in the leg.

    The students, who came from different higher institutions, held a procession on a major road in the community, carrying placards with the inscriptions, such as “Bring Back Our Light”, “Let there be light in Ilaje” and “We are living in darkness and we need help”.

    The aggrieved students marched on the local government secretariat. But, no official came out to address them.

    They moved to the office of the Ondo State Oil ProducingArea Commission (OSOPADEC) but they were rebuffed by the security personnel, who shut the gates. The protesters, then, moved to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), where they were attacked by the policemen attached to the Igbokoda Police Station. The officers shot to disperse the protesters.

    In the melee, Ibukun Obayelu, a student of University of Benin (UNIBEN), was hit by a bullet. He collapsed on the road. He was rushed to the General Hospital.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that the students had the police permit to hold the protest. It was learnt that the police arrested the association’s leaders, including the President, Victor Adeya, a 300-Level Quantity Surveying student of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Busayo Ebiniyi, a Business Administration student of Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY) and Olanrewaju Oretan, a Biochemistry student of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

    They have, however, been released. But the students vowed to continue with the protest until electricity is restored to the community.

    Victor said: “It is sad that Ilaje Local Government, which is an oil-producing area, is lagging behind in development. How can the area be without electricity for six years? Most of these political and traditional leaders do not live among the people, who are suffering it. We are tired of this marginalisation. As the student body in Ilaje, we won’t relent until something is done.”

    One of the protesters, ThankGod Okorisa, a student of National Open University in Akure, berated political leaders in the community for neglecting the people. He said: “Our leaders are not interested in the development of Ilaje community. Our traditional leaders are well known in the country, yet their local government has been in darkness for over six years.”

    An elder in the community, who spoke in anonymity, said the protest reflected the anger of the people living in the community over the “massive underdevelopment” Ilaje area was witnessing.

    He said the community people were in support of the protest by the students. “I salute the students’courage to speak out on what many of us are afraid to do in the past six years,” he added.

    The students gave the government up to December 20 to restore electricity in the community, threatening to disrupt elections in the area if the government failed to accede to their request.

     

  • Police set to reinstate Tambuwal’s security details

    Police set to reinstate Tambuwal’s security details

    There were indications on Friday that the Nigeria Police Force may reinstate the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

    The Office of the Speaker was said to have been informed of the development by a high-ranking police chief.

    But the police force is using Tambuwal’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Sokoto as an “excuse” to reinstate the security aides.

    A source said: We still believe the Speaker is not entitled to security based on his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC. The constitution is very clear on that and we are defending our position well in court.

    “However, since Tambuwal is now a candidate of a major political party in Sokoto, convention requires that he is protected by the police.

    “The Federal Government takes the security of leading candidates very seriously as such we will restore security to Tambuwal and at the same time provide same for all the leading candidates in all states of the Federation.”

  • NUPENG to Fed Govt: Call police to order

    NUPENG to Fed Govt: Call police to order

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has condemned the invasion of the National Assembly (NASS) by men of the Nigeria Police and Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) last week to prevent lawmakers from having access to their Chambers.

    The union said the Federal Government must call all the affected security agencies to order to avoid possible civil unrest in the country

    NUPENG’s National President, Comrade (Dr) Igwe Achese, who told newsmen in Lagos that President Goodluck Jonathan must call the Inspector General of Police to order to avert civil unrest in the country said: “We hope that this situation is not a re-enactment of the Shagari era where people’s freedom was trampled upon.”

    According to Achese, there is freedom of association in the Nigerian Constitution, and the Police duty is to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, including visitors to the country. “The action of the Police on NASS members on Thursday last week  is undemocratic, crude and unfair and has never happened in any part of the world where democracy is practised. The Police action portrays Nigeria in bad light before the international community and it also shows that the system is not working well,” he said.

  • Senator donates security vans to police

    Senator donates security vans to police

    Determined to ensure that the Ondo State Police Command guarantee crime-free society, the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Mr. Boluwaji Kunlere has donated 13 new Hilux security vans worth several millions of Naira to the State Police Command.

    The vehicles are equipped with security appliances to enhance the security of lives and property in the six local government areas that make up senatorial district.

    The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Isaac Eke who described the initiative as first of its kind in the state and Nigeria, praised the Senator for the gesture.

    The vehicles, which are in the custody of the State Police Command, would soon be handed over to each of the 13 Divisional Police formations in the Ondo South Senatorial District.

    These formations include Ile Oluji and Okegbo in Ileoluji/Okegbo Local Government Area;  Ore, Araromi Obu and Odigbo in Odigbo  Local Government Area ;Irele, Ajagba and Akotogbo in Irele Local Government Area; Igbekebo in Eseodo Local Government Area; Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area; Okitipupa, Ilutitun and Igbotako in Okitipupa Local Government Area.

    The two riverside areas have the support of the Naval Base.

    Speaking with reporters in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area on what informed the priority attention he accorded to security in his 2014 constituency project; Senator Kunlere noted that the security of lives and property in the Ondo South Senatorial District and Nigeria should not be left in the hands of government alone.

    He said: “We appeal to individuals and corporate organisations that are in position to support the efforts of the police, the State Security Services (SSS), Civil Defence Corps and others to do so in order to tackle the security situation in the country.

    “There are several ways we can help the security operatives. If people cannot buy vehicles or motorcycles to support the security operatives, they should be able to give information about criminals who hibernated around our villages, towns and cities.”

    It would be recalled that Senator Kunlere was once a victim of several attacks while contesting the Senatorial Seat of the Ondo South District in 2011.

    In one of the attacks, the Senator’s wife, Mrs. Oluwafemi Kunlere sustained fracture of the neck and was hospitalised for several months.

    Apart from the attack on the person and family of Senator Kunlere, Ondo State which hitherto was adjudged the most peaceful Niger Delta State is gradually becoming haven for robbers and kidnappers.

    Senator Kunlere said the initiative to boost security in Ondo South dawned on him when, in one of the communities, the police was out to arrest some criminals.

    He said before they came with the only one vehicle they had, some kidnappers had kidnapped an aged mother of one-time Chairman of the State’s Sports Council.

    Kunlere said: “I felt bad and reasoned that if the police were with spare vehicles; it would have been possible for them to pursue the kidnappers and possibly arrest them.

    “Besides, no fewer than five to eight families have suffered similar fate in the hands of kidnappers in the Ondo South Senatorial District and the only way this spate of kidnapping, robbery and other criminalities could be curtailed in the area is to lend a helping hand to support the security operatives in the district.

    The lawmaker pointed out that as a Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, “my concern for empowerment in Ondo South is holistic and not parochial.

    He further maintained that all sectors must benefit from his empowerment programme because he is representing the people of Ondo South Senatorial District.

    Kunlere said: “Security of lives and properties is not an issue of where and what you belong.

    “In my first year in office as Senator (2012), I empowered no fewer than 289 people across board in the Ondo Senatorial district.

    “At least five people from each of the 66 wards enjoyed the privilege of taking either sewing machine, motorcycle, electricity generating set with clipper, deep freezer, grinding machine and hair dryer home that day.

    “This is aside from the leaders of the party in the six local government areas who went home with their own cars. No fewer than 330 students; five from each of the 66 wards that make up the six local government areas of Ondo South got a bursary relief of N20,000 each.”

    Kunlere noted that he took a holistic view of the zone’s empowerment project to ensure that whatever programme he embarks upon is spread across board for the benefit of all.

    To him, the only way his impact could be felt and be remembered now and in the future is to execute tangible projects which are verifiable; not intangible projects that could be denied tomorrow.

    Among the tangible things Senator Kunlere embarked upon are building of blocks of classrooms in most rural areas where access to quality classrooms are not available for students.

    He listed such schools to include Local Authority School Umoboro in Ode Aye, St. Paul’s Ikoya, Local Authority Primary School Gboroye Ode Irele, Local Authority Primary School Ode Ugbo, Primary School Agbala Obineyin in  Ilaje.

    Others are Primary School Agadagba Obon in  Ese-Odo, Baptist Day School Ira Ilutitun, St. Pius Primary School Igbotako, Local Authority Primary School Temidire Odigbo, St. Georges Ile Oluji; Primary School Erinje, Local Authority School Abojinpa, Local Authority School Labosipo, St. Phillip Oniparaga, Local Authority School Onisere Olorunsogo, Erekiti Community Grammar School and Comprehensive Grammar School Ode Irele.

    All the schools have at least a block of six or four classrooms. They are verifiable projects.

    Schools such as Community Grammar School Ore, Community Grammar School Atijere in Ilaje, Zion Pepe and Community Grammar School Igbotako a town hall for each of them is underway.

    All of the schools have a block of six or four or three classrooms with basic modern facilities respectively and are already is use. Other schools which their contractors had not reported to sites are also captured in the 2014 budget.

    The Senator disclosed that the first computer centre for Igbotako Community Grammer School and Lubokun Grammer School has been established.

    Kunlere said the contract for the road design from Araromi Seaside in Ilaje Local Government Area to Lekki in Lagos State has been awarded, stressing that when completed; people will be able to live in Ondo State and work in Lagos State because the road will witness less gridlock.

    He also said the road linking Lagos through Ilaje was one of the many verifiable projects by anyone who cares to know how their Senator has represented them in the Senate in the past two years.

    On employment, Senator Kunlere revealed that many people from his senatorial district had joined the police, the state security service beside regular employments in the civil services, government parastatals and agencies.

    A resident of the area told our correspondent that Senator Kunlere has executed projects in many areas in Ondo State more than previous Senators who had represented the district.

     

  • Police invasion of National Assembly

    Police invasion of National Assembly

    In Garba v F.C.S.C (1988) 1 N.W.L.R. (Pt.) 449, SCN, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held inter alia: “Under our constitution we have opted for separation of powers among the three arms of government – The Executive, The Legislature and The Judiciary. It is contrary to the letters and spirit of the Constitution that any of the three arms should interfere with the other in the performance of its functions. If that is allowed to happen, it will lead to chaos, lawlessness and destruction of the Constitution” (emphasis mine). In my view, such interference is worst, when those who bear arms to protect the constitution, use it, to shoot at it.

    The invasion and barricade of the National Assembly by the Police, an arm of the executive, about a fortnight ago, is one such interference, which should be deprecated by all. The head of the police who triggerred the flagrant resort to self-help by some legislators, the IGP Alhaji Suleiman Abba, tried to justify the barricade, on the lame excuse that the police wanted to prevent the protesting members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), from gaining access to the National Assembly, as they had allegedly threatened. But he has not explained why some of the legislators from the ruling party had free passage, when their colleagues from the opposition party, were locked out.

    The IGP Abba also tried to justify his action, on the ground that Honourable Aminu Tambuwall, the Speaker of the House of Representatives has lost his mandate, on the ground that the courts had held that there was no division in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to justify his decampment to the APC, under section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Appearing before the House committee on Police Affairs, the IGP who recognised that the dispute is subjudice, however refused to recognise Tambuwall as Speaker, despite an order of a Federal High Court, that status quo ante, should be maintained. Just like his unilateral withdrawal of Tambuwall’s security, these conducts amount to self-help. As many have correctly argued, President Goodluck Jonathan bears responsibility for the actions of the police, including the IGP.

    Unfortunately, in reaction to the unlawful barricade of the gates of the National Assembly, which appeared to have been targeted primarily at preventing the Honourable Speaker, Aminu Tambuwall, from gaining access to the House, some notable opposition lawmakers, clambered over the gates of the national assembly, to forcefully gain access to the chambers. Without gainsaying, such conduct is disgraceful, and also a resort to self-help. As things stand, two principal arms of the democratic tripod, the legislature and the executive, seems to have resolved that self-help, is the surest way to gain an upper hand, in their desperate contest for power. This is a recipe for constitutional breakdown.

    As held by the Supreme Court, per Justice Obaseki (rtd), in Governor of Lagos state v Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR Pt. 312, at p. 636: “In the area where rule of law operates, the rule of self-help by force is abandoned. Nigeria being one of the countries in the world, even in the third world, which proclaims loudly to follow the rule of law, there is no room for the rule of self-help by force to operate”. Again in Agbai v Okagbue (1991) 7 NMLR Pt 204 at p. 417, Nwokedi JSC (rtd) held: “Self-help by itself, in circumstances such as this, is a prmitive remedy capable of causing a breach of the peace. If the respondent had resisted the invasion of the defendants or himself applied self-help … there must probably have been a breach of the peace, the magnitude of which no one may conjecture”.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the combatants and those sympathetic to their unlawful conducts, should examine the adroit comments of learned Justice Godwin Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, in a paper titled, “The Relevance of the Judiciary in the Polity in Historical Perspective”, quoted by Ese Malami, learned author, in his book “The Constitutional Law” at page 27; that: “A constitution is incontestably a legal document and it is the fons et erigo of all rights within the polity… By its very nature and composition, this country will prefer a written constitution which will spell out the suitable political, economic and legal arrangment for its peole. Such a document will constitute the fons et origo of the exercise of powers, the enjoyments of rights, discharge of obligations … The powers of government in a democratic state governed under a written constitution are entirely expressed in the constitution. Similarly expressed are their rights and duties and the limitations of the organs of government…. The purpose is to subject the government to the laws under the constitution. Constituional government is government by law”.

    Unfortunately IGP Suleiman Abba, precides over a police, whose reputation as an unbiased national institution, is in tatters, as far as a significant portion of the Nigerian public, is concerned. Regrettably also, Speaker Aminu Tambuwall presides over a House of Representatives, whose reputation as diligent law makers, is assailed by unpatriotic compromises and corruption, in the eyes of a significant portion of the public. In essence, the abuse and unbridled context for influence and power, between the legislature and the executive, is somewhat akin to a context between brigands, as far as a critical segment of the Nigeria public, is concerned.

    The recent tirade by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which this writer substantially agree with, impugning the intergrity of the national leadership, particulalry the national assembly with respect to the unconstituional constituency project, is a further confirmation of the abuse of power by public officials, across the board. Such acts of brigandry in the exercise of public power, becomes even more dangerous, when there is resort to self-help, by critical state actors.

     

     

     

  • Police Vs NASS: A case of two wrongs?

    SIR: With the recent police barricade of the entrance to the National Assembly, it will not be out of place to affirm that all is not well with our democratic experiment. The police overzealousness was demeaning as it was unfortunate. What can one say about the desperation of some members scaling the gate to access the National Assembly complex? Nigerians need to be grateful to God that we did not witness any case of accidental discharge in the entire melee.

    Have we learnt anything after 15 years of democracy? We have all failed to be good students of history in matters relating to ugly events which shaped our national existence from independence till date and have consequently allowed those same primordial interests and sentiments which sparked off political, religious and ethnic conflagration years ago to influence our decisions.

    Can two wrongs make one right? It is regrettable for the enforcer of the law to be the one to put the law on trial. The police should be seen to be independent and neutral in dealing with national issues. On the other hand, it is senseless to endanger one’s life and possibly break the law in an attempt to enforce ones’ fundamental right or to fight for or a just cause.

    Our democracy is on trial, not House of Representative members or the Speaker of the House. The most honourable option to the legislators in my humble opinion was to beat an honourable retreat and seek the opinion of the court on the matter. For the onus of interpretation of the action of the police rests exclusively with the judiciary. The aftermath of the court decision would have strengthened our legal and democratic processes and eternally put the police or any security agency, groups or individual planning to embark on this voyage of overzealousness in their rightful position. But we lost all of this to flared tempers; unbridled emotions or rather premeditated actions. If a mad person is bent on pulling off your dresses, the best option is the application of common sense in a bid to avoid him or her lest people conclude in the scuffle that both of you are the same.

    Power, according to the age-long saying belongs to God and He gives it to anyone He pleases. The nation cannot afford another crisis now or in the near future. The raging Boko Haram war against the nation and annexation of villages, prevailing level of unemployment, poverty rate and dearth of basic social amenities are already too much pandemics for the nation to bear or contain. This is the right time for us to be our brother’s keepers. Time to love one another and live in peace: for our good and the good of the nation.

     

    • Sunday Onyemaechi Eze

    Samaru Zaria, Kaduna State

  • Police kill 3, injure 17 in Kebbi

    Three people were confirmed dead while fourteen sustained various injuries from police gun shots following an outbreak of law and order in the commercial city of Jega town in kebbi state.
    Speaking with newsmen at Jega General Hospital, the State Commissioner of Police, Ishiaku Barau Ningi, explained that the incident occurred following assassination of one of the businessmen by the men of the underworld, Alhaji Garba Dankane Jega on Saturday at about 7:30pm.
    He disclosed after the burial of the deceased on Sunday some youths on their way from the cemetery started shouting and advancing towards the police station demanding for the removal of the Divisional Police Officer ( DPO) , whom they accused of laxity and not responding on time during the incident.
    The mob then set ablaze two police quarters.
    Ningi said that the police had no option than to protect themselves by shooting into air to scare the protesters.
    He said those killed was as a result of stray bullets, but admitted that the police are trained to shoot only on the kneels in such a situation.
    He however, announced the immediate transfer of the Jega Divisional Police Officer ASP Aliyu Yusuf.
    According to him, situation was put under control and normalcy had already returned to the commercial nerve of the state.
    He appealed to the people to avoid taking law in to their hands adding that ” we have to tolerate one another to ensure peaceful co-existance”

  • Fake police officer arrested with rifles, charms

    A man claiming to be on official assignment from ‘Abuja’ was last Saturday arrested at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat, Lokoja.

    Claiming to be a policeman, he was arrested and taken away by officers from the state force headquarters.

    Eagle-eyed policemen had accosted the man, following which a search of the
    vehicle he came in with another accomplice was searched, leading to the
    discovery of the arms and other assorted charms.

    From the outcome of the PDP state assembly primaries, the Speaker of the
    Kogi State House of Assembly won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
    ticket to contest for the Okene II state constituency.

    Other serving lawmakers in the state that emerged victorious at Saturday’s
    PDP primaries included the Chief Whip, Hon. Sulaimon Babadoko.

    An aide to Senator Smart Adeyemi, Ade Omofaye emerged from Ijumu state
    constituency.

    Hon. Nathaniel Taiwo (Kabba-Bunu), was however upstaged by Prince Kolawole
    Samuel.
    Others that emerged included Muhammed Haruna (Ajaokuta) Local Government
    Constituency, Eric Fiki (Mopamoro), Hon. Ali Akuh (Omala).

    Results are still being expected for Ofu and Adavi local government areas
    among other.

  • APC data centre raid: DSS defies court order

    APC data centre raid: DSS defies court order

    The Department of State Security Services (DSS) yesterday defied an order made by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court by refusing to produce five detained workers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The judge on Wednesday barred the DSS from the APC’s data centre which it raided recently.

    He also ordered it to produce the detained workers – Chinedu Atuche, Fayemi Olaposi, Chika Augustine Onochukwu, Ebun Ilori and Esther Enemuwe.

    The judge gave the orders in respect of the case of enforcement of human rights filed by APC’s lawyer Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).

    The court ordered that the DSS should unseal the data office/warehouse located at 10, Bola Ajibola Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, forthwith.

    It gave an interim order restraining the respondent (DSS) from further sealing off the office or taking further steps in connection with the property.

    With regard to the five data entry workers being held in custody by the DSS, the court ordered the respondent to produce them in court yesterday to explain to it why they are still being held.

    The court, however, did not give any order regarding the release of the seized equipment, including server and computer.

    But the DSS defied the order, refusing to produce the workers, who would end up spending the weekend in detention.

    Also, the police was not represented yesterday, but DSS’ lawyer Peter Okerinmodun said the agency was unaware of the court’s order.

    This is despite that the applicants’ lawyer provided a proof of service to the agency.

    “My appearance today is from what I read in newspapers. One newspaper said the matter came up at Ikeja (high court),” Okerinmodu said in response to a question from the judge on why he was in court.

    “I made contact with (SSS) headquarters to ascertain the authenticity. They said there was no service on them. Even as at this morning, nobody has confirmed. So I was not briefed.”

    Earlier, Osinbajo said both the police and the DSS were duly served, but the latter refused to accept service at their Lagos office.

    “The first respondent (the Nigerian police) we served here (Lagos) and in Abuja. We also served the second respondent (SSS)…. Pursuant to the orders of this court, same processes were served in Abuja and they were accepted. Proof of service is in the court’s file,” Osinbajo said.

    “The SSS ought to, in obedience of the orders of my lord, produce the five applicants today (yesterday),” he added.

    Okerinmodun sought a short adjournment to enable him “sort out” himself.

    “I want to get across to Abuja to know whether they have been served,” said the lawyer. “We are never known for disobeying my lord’s orders.”

    Osinbajo expressed reservations at the DSS counsel’s claims, noting that the judge’s orders were unambiguous.

    “We are just worried that these individuals have been in detention since (last) Saturday.”

    The judge said he would give Okerinmodun benefit of the doubt because he “had been a good lawyer” in his court.

    “This matter is adjourned till 1st of December 2014 to enable counsel to the second respondent to comply with the orders of the court.”

    The applicants – the APC and the detained staff – are seeking an enforcement of their fundamental rights.

    The DSS had justified its action by claiming that their raid was based on a petition it received alleging “unwholesome activities” in the APC data centre.

    “Based on this information, the service placed the building under surveillance and having been convinced that some unwholesome activities were going on in the building, it undertook a raid of the premises,” the SSS said in a statement Sunday.

    In addition to the arrested staff, documents and computer hard drives were also confiscated by the operatives.