Justice N. E. Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and the Divisional Police Officer of Trademore Police Station, Abuja to pay an Abuja land developer, Prince Adefarakan Adebambo, the sum of N800,000 as compensation for his unlawful arrest, detention and violation of his fundamental rights.
The court also ordered the management of Abuja-based security outfit - Pento Guard Security Limited, the Registered Trustees of Redeemers Excellent Men Housing Foundation and one Mr. Salako Solomon, to also pay Adebambo the sum of N1 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights.
Adebambo had dragged the Inspector General of Police, police commissioner for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Divisional Police Officer of Trademore Police Station, Abuja, Pento Guard Security Limited, the Registered Trustees of Redeemers Excellent Men Housing Foundation and Mr. Salako Solomon, to court over his arrest, detention and violation of his fundamental rights.
Adebambo is the Applicant while the Inspector General of Police; Commissioner of Police, FCT, Abuja; Divisional Police Officer, Trademore Police Station; Pento Guard Security Limited; Registered Trustees of Redeemers Excellent Men Housing Foundation and Mr Salako Solomon are the 1st to 6th Respondents respectively.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1133/2020 followed his arrest and detention by police personnel on August 27, 2020, for an alleged threat to the life of Solomon who tried to stop him (Adebambo) from constructing a building on his site at Redeemers Excellent Men Housing Estate, Lugbe Airport Road, Abuja-FCT.
Justice Maha in his ruling declared that the arrest and detention of Adebambo on August 27, 2020, by the officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the Trademore Police Station Lugbe, FCT-Abuja “based on the unfounded, frivolous and faceless allegation of threat by the 6th Respondent is illegal and unconstitutional and constitutes a violation of the Applicant's fundamental human rights so guaranteed by chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”
He also granted Adebambo’s prayer declaring that “the order of the 3rd Respondent (Divisional Police Officer of Trademore Police Station) mandating the station guard of the Trademore police station, Lugbe Abuja - FCT on the 29th day of August 2020 to restrain the Applicant (Adebambo), the Applicant's lawyer, Ekuma Joseph and Mr. Kayode Lamidi from leaving the premises of the Trademore Police Station, Lugbe, Abuja-FCT based on the unfounded, frivolous and faceless allegation of threat by the 6th Respondent (Solomon) is illegal and unconstitutional and contravenes the Applicant's fundamental human rights to liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”
The court further declared that the continued hounding, threat of further arrest and detention of the Adebambo by the Divisional Police Officer of Trademore Police Station “on the basis of the unfounded, fabricated, frivolous and faceless allegation of threat by the 6th Respondent is unlawful, unconstitutional and constitutes a contravention of the Applicant's fundamental human rights enshrined and guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”
The court, therefore, issued an order “restraining the police and all other respondents in the case, their agents, privies, and servants, howsoever described from further threat of arrest and/or detention of Adebambo in connection with the said unfounded, fabricated, frivolous and faceless allegation of threat to life by Solomon”.
The Court also issued an order restraining all the respondents, their agents, privies, and servants, howsoever described from stopping Adebambo from continuing with the development of his site at Redeemers Excellent Men Housing Estate, Lugbe Airport Road, Abuja-FCT.
“The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents shall forthwith pay the Applicant the sum of N800,000.00 only compensation for the violation of the Applicant's fundamental rights for instigating the violation of the Applicant's fundamental rights.
“The 4th, 5th and 6th Respondents shall forthwith pay the sum of (N1,000,000.00) One Million Naira Only as damages for violation of the Applicant's fundamental rights,” the court added.