Posted by By Kayode Matthew on
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abeokuta has ordered the Inspector-General of Police and four others to pay N10,000. 00 as compensation to four traditional chiefs of Ijako community at Otta for unlawful detention and arrest.
ABEOKUTA - A Federal High Court, sitting in Abeokuta has ordered the Inspector-General of Police and four others to pay N10,000. 00 as compensation to four traditional chiefs of Ijako community at Otta for unlawful detention and arrest.
The court gave the order following a fundamental rights application filed by the traditional ruler of Ijako, Chief Zacheus Oderinde, Prince Olawale Oderinde, Kolajo Olaomo, David Binitte, Gbenga Akinwunmi and Segun Oderinde who challenged their detention over their landed property at Km 42 along Lagos-Abeokuta Express road Otta, Ogun state.
In his ruling, Justice C.M. A. Olatoregun also restrained the police authorities from further interfering in any way whatsoever with the fundamental rights of the applicants and held that since the police authorities did not file any counter affidavit, the facts stated by the applicants remain unchallenged in every particular and could be relied upon.
Justice Olatoregun declared that the beating of two of the applicants (Akinwunmi and Segun Oderinde) on February 4, 2005 and their subsequent arrest and detention for four days by men of the Anti-Robbery Squad led by Abdul Ganiu "are illegal, unconstitutional and violation" of their fundamental rights to personal liberty and dignity of human person guaranteed under the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
According to him "The period of four days for which the 5th and 6th applicants were detained cannot be regarded as reasonable. I do hold that this is in violation of the fundamental rights of the applicants to personal liberty and right to know the reasons for which they were kept and denied access to court or bail. I believe the applicants have been able to establish an infringement of their rights."
The affected police officers who were named as Respondents in the application are the Inspector General of Police; A.I.G. Zone II; Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone II; I. C. Anti-Robbery Squad and his team as well as S. O. Anti-Robbery squad led by one Abdul Ganiu. The affected police officers were alleged to have invaded the palace of the traditional ruler of Ijako Otta to arrest the applicants.