Court orders IGP Idris to pay N4m for violation of human rights

An FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja and presided over by Justice Jude Okeke, on Monday held that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, should pay N1 million each to four men for violation of their fundamental rights.

The order came following a fundamental rights petition filed before the court by Ozor Okolocha, Elvis Obiaku, Edward Onyenoknone and Imoni Micah, all from Ase-Omuku in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

The respondents in the suit were the Police IG and the FCT Commissioner of Police.

Giving his ruling on the matter, Justice Okeke who held that the respondents in the matter refused to renew the order of remand from the court which elapsed after 14 days said, “As compensation for the violation of their fundamental rights, N1 million should be paid to each of the applicants for the hardship and embarrassment suffered by them.

“The applicants were continuously detained at Keffi Prison without remand order, renewal and without charges preferred against them. This is a gross violation of their fundamental rights as provided by the provisions of section 35 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.”

The judge further held that the detention of the applicants and violation of their rights to liberty were unjustifiable by the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Okeke therefore ordered that the respondents should desist from arresting the applicants over the issues in the suit.

Police arrested the applicants on December 17, 2015 and January 6, 2016 at their home town of Ase-Omuku in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta and were transported to Abuja by Inspector Tony Alabi and detained at Keffi prison on remand order from an Abuja Magistrate Court.

However, at the expiration of the order, no renewal was made until April 5, when the suit was leveled against the IGP and FCT Commissioner of Police.

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