Sowore was illegally arrested and detained last Thursday.
Human rights lawyer, Tope Temokun says the Nigeria Police Force has been served the lawsuit filed on behalf of activist, Omoyele Sowore against the Force over his recent illegal arrest and detention.
Sowore was illegally arrested and detained last Thursday.
On Thursday, February 24, police officers picked up the activist as he was leaving the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
He was subsequently detained at a unit of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja popularly called ‘abattoir’.
It was later gathered that Sowore's arrest was in connection to a frivolous petition by a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko.
Meanwhile, Sowore subsequently filed a lawsuit against the former lawmaker, Nwoko, the Nigeria Police Force and others over his illegal arrest and detention.
The suit is between Omoyele Sowore and the Nigeria Police Force as the first respondent, the Inspector-General of Police as the second respondent, the Commissioner of Police, Abuja and Ned Munir Nwoko as the third and fourth respondents respectively.
Among other things, Sowore is asking for an apology to be published in two reputable national daily newspapers for the violation of his fundamental rights and N200 million as damages for the violation of his rights.
According to Tope Temokun and documents obtained by SaharaReporters, the respondents have all been duly served the papers.
"They have all been served the papers; they were all served the same day it was filed, March 1 and the court bailiff also confirmed that he had served them," Temokun said.
The suit is seeking an order of the court “mandating the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents to issue an apology to the Applicant, to be published in two reputable national daily newspapers” for the violation of his rights.
Among others, he is also seeking an order of the court “directing the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents jointly and severally, to pay to the Applicant, the sum of ₦200, 000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira), only, as general and exemplary damages for the violation” of his fundamental rights.
He also sought, an “order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents by themselves or their officers or their privies or their agents or anyone acting for them or on their instruction or authorization, in relation to this matter, from further interfering with or violating the Applicant’s fundamental rights as afore-stated;
“A declaration that the arrest of the applicant on the 24th day of February within the precincts of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, by officers of the first respondent over publications allegedly made by SaharaReporters, a legal entity, separate and district from the applicant, amounts to a breach of the applicant's right to personal liberty and freedom…”
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