Boko Haram suspects: Court awards N10m damages to detained 7

BY Abdulwahab Abdulah
LAGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has awarded  N10 million as damages against the Inspector General of police, and three others,  over the unlawful detention of seven Muslims accused of being  members of  Boko Haram sect.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, in his judgment in a fundamental rights suit  against the police by the Nigerians also restrained the Nigeria Police from further arresting, interfering on the fundamental rights  to personal liberty and freedom of movement of the applicants.

The court also awarded N30,000 cost against the respondents, though it exonerated the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and State Security Services, SSS, of any blame.

The IGP, the Commissioner of police, Lagos state, DCP, Panti, Sgt. John Gandonu, the AGF and Director, SSS were  respondents in the suit  by Sulaimon Alli, Abdul Ganiyu Sadu, Abdul Jelil Sanusi, Alimi Sulaimon, Abdul Hakeem Abdul Raman, AbdulKabir Shofidiya and Sulaimon Adebayo.

The applicants had in the suit filed on their behalf by the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigerian, MULAN,  prayed the court to declare their arrest and detention illegal for more than 30 days by the police without any cogent reason as illegal, a violation of their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution of the the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Apart from awarding damages against the police for the unlawful detention,  Justice Abang chided them for their failure to appear in court through out the trial, when he said, “There is unchallenged evidence before me which I believe that the Applicants were in detention for 30 good days and were subjected to untold hardship.

They were also subjected to degrading and inhuman treatment. They were in solitary confinement and being held hostage for 30 days. They were moved from one police formation to another at will. On record they were moved to three different police stations within Lagos State.”