By Okosun Dennis
For infringing on the fundamental Human Rights of his clients, a Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Barr. Gabriel Giwa Amu has sued the Nigerian Police for harassment, breach of fundamental human rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement of his clients by officers of the Nigerian Police.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court of Justice, Lagos Judicial Division, Barr. Giwa Amu said his clients: Amadi Williams, Onukwube Emmanuel, Wankansai (Chinese Zhujuntan (Chinese) and Eloyi Joshua were rough-handled before being hodded into police bus and driven to Alagbon Close despite his intervention as their solicitor.
Among the respondents are Yahya Falana; Afusat Falana; Nureni Ajasa; Alowole Laani; Yemi Ajasa (aka Sobo); the Nigerian Police; and the Inspector General of Police. Others include: the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department; FCID Annex Admin. Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos State; ACP Danko, Force CID, FCID Annex, Admin. Alagbon, Ikoyi; ASP Yusuf, Force CID, FCID Annex, Admin, Alagbon, Ikoyi and Inspector Lucas, Force CID, FCID Annex, Admin, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
He reiterated that despite his involvement, the police officer from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi grossly violated and breached their freedom of movement as guaranteed under sections 34, 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) 2011.
Barr Giwa Amu is also asking for a compelling order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents either by themselves, or their officers, servants, agents, privies and otherwise acting for them, from harassing and/or further harassing and molesting or in any manner infringing the fundamental rights of the applicants in the name of the style of conducting police investigation at the instance of the respondents on the issue or other issues relating to, or connected with land dispute between the applicants and the respondents.
Based on the foregoing, the lawyer slammed a N200 million damages against the police for the breach of the applicants’ fundamental rights.
It would be understood that Barr Giwa Amu had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba over what he described as alleged “Corruption, extortion and false allegation” by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon Close, Lagos.
According to him, five of his clients who work for Rockston Dredging & Allied Works Limited were falsely accused and detained by the police unlawfully over encroachment on a piece of land.
He averred that “the Chinese who were detained in their custody by operatives at AIG’s Office FCID, Alagbon, said his clients are in Nigeria lawfully and were brought in pursuant to the Exchange of Economic Plan for the growth of Nigeria valued at over $150,000,000.00 (One hundred and Fifty Million Dollars) only which has been badly damaged by virtue of the illegal arrest of the Chinese.”
It was learnt that the Police had gone to the company with a list of wanted persons but discovered that none of the persons in their wanted list was among those that they eventually arrested.
Giwa-Amu disclosed that Police Inspector Lucas demanded N2 million for their bail. But when he stood his ground not to offer any bribe, the police detained his clients in their cell for no offence.
Explaining what led to their arrest, Giwa Amu explained that his clients were arrested over a land matter which was already before a court of competent jurisdiction and was nonplussed why the police should be involved in a civil matter.
Explaining further in his petition to the IGP dated: 25th October, 2021 with the title: RE: CORRUPTION, EXTORTION, CONSPIRACY TO SET UP FALSE ALLEGATION AGAINST ROCKSTON DREDGING & ALLIED WORKS LTD; pointed out that, “On the 22nd day of October 2021 Inspector Lucas (08037201206) with a Team of 5 mobile Policemen violently raided ILEMERE COMMUNITY, in Ibeshe in Ikorodu Local Govt., Area of Lagos State alleging to be on Police investigation.
“That the said Inspector Lucas went on the dredging site of our Client, at Ilemere with a list of purported “Suspects’ and when none of the persons wanted was on the said list, Inspector Lucas and his team proceeded to arrest innocent workers on the ROCKSTON DREDGING site including Messrs WANGKANSAI and ZHUJUNTAN both Chinese nationals who cannot speak English.
“That upon hearing of the illegal arrest of innocent staff of our Client Company, our Client instructed us as its Solicitors to proceed to engage the said Inspector Lucas who was still in Ikorodu at the time.
Barr Giwa-Amu, who heads Chacole and Darda Chambers further reiterated “That the said Inspector Lucas told him in the presence of Mr. Mr. Thompson; Barrister Monday Uleyo, Barrister John Amodu that he, Inspector Lucas, will not release any of the arrested persons though their names were not on his list of suspects, because he, Inspector Lucas must make “returns” to his boss, the Assistant Inspector General of Police who in his words “is going to be the substantive IGP very soon…. you people need to meet him… he is the future IGP.…”
“However it was learnt that the arrested suspects were duly released on 15th October 2021 on the instruction and directive of the AIG without any demand from anyone.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/lawyer-sues-nigerian-police-n200m-for-illegally-unlawfully-detaining-clients/
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