Human Rights Violation: Citizen Drags Inspector General Of Police, Enugu CP, 4 Others To Court

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, February 28th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Nigerian citizen, Mr. Cletus Nwebor, has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court Enugu, against the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Enugu State, the Police Service Commission PSC, Mr. Ekeleme, the officer-in charge (OC) Anti Cult Base, Enugu, over alledgcontinuous police harrasment in respect of a land he instituted at an Enugu State High Court.

Also joined in the matter presided over by Honourable Justice M. Eluke as Defendant are, Mr. Chidiebere Ijiomah OC Octopus Squad and Paul Oscar Udoji.

In the suit, tagged: Cletus Nwebor V. Inspector General of Police and 5 Others, with Suit No.FHC/EN/CS/34/2024, the Applicant through his lawyers Barrister Olu Omotayo and Barrister Desmond Kakaan. prayed the Honorable Court for the Followings:

“A declaration that the continued threat of the 2nd Respondent, (The Commissioner of Police) to arrest and send the applicant to jail for writing petitions against him to the 1st and 3rd respondent without the applicant committing any offence known to the law, constitutes a flagrant violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights, guaranteed under section 34, & 36, of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Article 5 & 7, of the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights, (Ratification and Enforcement Act) Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and is therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

The lawyers are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, their agents, privies or otherwise howsoever from further beating, harassing, intimidating, trailing, scaring, arresting or detaining the Applicant upon the same facts constituting the complaints enumerated in this application or in any other manner infringing on the applicants’ fundamental rights.

“N50 Million Naira being exemplary, punitive, aggravated, special and general damages against the Respondents for their infringement of the applicants’ constitutional and fundamental rights. In the facts in support of the Suit Cletus Nwebor had stated thus;

That “since the 2nd February 2024, at the instigation of the 6th respondent, the 3rd respondent (Commissioner of Police) claimed to be acting on the authority of the 1st respondent(Inspector General of Police) stationed a police Van and armed policemen from the Anti Cult Base, Enugu, led by the 4th respondent and were protecting the bricklayers illegally extending and erecting fence from 6th respondent, Oscar Udoji, land to cover the land in dispute in suit No E/484/2023.

“The Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), wrote petitions on my behalf to the 3rd respondent (Police Service Commission) and the Presidency over the abuse of office and interference in a land matter pending in the court by the 2nd respondent (Commissioner of Police). The two petitions are hereby jointly exhibited as “Exhibit A”

That “the armed Policemen deployed by the 2nd respondent are currently in occupation of the applicants land.

That “One of the policemen from the Anti Cult Base who were detailed by the 2nd respondent to arrest me told me on phone in the morning of 8th February 2024, and I verily believed him that I should run away because the Commissioner of Police said once I am arrested I will be sent to prison for writing petitions against him.

“The DCO Abakaliki Road Police Station Mr. Emenike, is also leading the vindictive attack on me. Mr. Emenike, was among the five police officers who extorted Five hundred thousand Naira from me in respect of this same matter, when the money was transferred into his account sometimes in August 2023, before the then AIG Zone 13, Mr. Tony Oloju, ordered the refund of the money.

“The petition written on my behalf by the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network to the 1st respondent in that regard is hereby exhibited as “Exhibit B”

“On the 13th February 2024, my counsel Olu Omotayo Esq. invited some journalists to visit the place and they went there and confirmed the presence of stern looking policemen giving protection to the bricklayers working on the site. The policemen are still there till date.

The plantiff disclosed that “there is a pending suit in respect of the land in dispute before Hon. Justice M. Eluke of the High Court of Enugu.

Nwebor further prayed the Honorable Court to save him from the Commissioner of Police who jettisoned all the law and Rules guiding Police activities in this country and dabbled into a court matter pending before a court of competent jurisdiction and connived with his opponent in the court case to send him to jail on a trump up charge.