Businessman sues police, others over rights’ infringement

A Lagos High Court, Igbosere has heard the case of an alleged infringement of fundamental human rights filed by a businessman, Oliver Ofoke against the Inspector General of Police and others.

The other defendants in the suit are Romanus Chima Ndubuisi, a businessman, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state, O/C Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Ikeja and CPL Eke John, popularly known as Igwe.

The matter is before Justice Femi Adeniyi. In his motion on notice, Ofoke stated that he was arrested by the second defendant and taken to the SARS in Ikeja, where he was detained, tortured and made to suffer inhuman treatment in a bid to force him to refund an alleged debt of N5 million owed the first defendant.

He said he had trained under the first defendant for seven years and when he was through, he started his own business in the same line with his erstwhile boss.

According to him, the first defendant took offence that he is in the same line of business of selling electronics and warned him to leave the location or go into another line of business.

And when he did not yield to threats and intimidation, the first defendant in cohort with the 4th and 5th respondents arrested and detained him. Therefore, the applicant is seeking to enforce his fundamental rights.

He filed the action pursuant to order 11 rules 1 and 2 of the fundamental rights (Enforcement procedure rules, 2009, sections 34, 35, 41, 36, 43, 44 and 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court. The case was adjourned to August 11, 2015 for adjudication.