Journalist drags Police, NCS to court over breach of right

By BOLU-OLU ESHO, Akure

A journalist and publisher of a newspaper, Otunba Gbenga Adebayo has dragged before a Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State and Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service(NSC) in Osun and Oyo states, Mr Adamu Abdulkadir, over breach of his fundamental human rights.

The applicant, who is based in Akure, in an affidavit attached to the suit, stated that in October, 2021, he was beaten up by some policemen who came to arrest him on grounds that he wrote to a letter to the Comptroller requesting for confirmation or denial of some allegations levelled against him.

In a suit filed through his attorney, Mr Kayode Dare, the applicant prayed the court to declare his arrest, torture and humiliation by the anti-kidnapping squad attached to Oyo State Police Command illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Another prayer of the applicant is that he sought that a sum of N20 million damages be declare against the respondents jointly and severally in his favour for the unlawful arrest, naked, harassment, torture, humiliation, beaten and detention by the law enforcement agencies.

He also alleged that he was arrested, handcuffed, chained and sandwiched by three policemen who ferried him into a waiting car and taken away from Akure to Ibadan half naked on order of the NSC comptroller.

The applicant alleged that he was denied access to food and water all through his stay in police custody at the anti-kidnapping squad office in Dugbe, Ibadan.

The court has, therefore, fixed February 1, 2022 for hearing of the suit. (Daily Independent)