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August 17, 2022
Falana requested that the IGP promptly investigate the allegations of violations of Inibehe’s human rights by the officers of both Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Correctional Centres
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has petitioned the Nigerian Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the flagrant violation of the constitutional rights of the African Action Congress (AAC) National Legal Adviser, Inibehe Effiong, by the officers of the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
In the petition dated August 12, 2022, and addressed to the IGP, the solicitors stated that they confirmed Inibehe who was sent to prison without trial by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, was assaulted, tortured, handcuffed and forcefully transferred from Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre to Uyo Correctional Centre.
According to Inibehe’s legal representatives, the action of the prison officers contravenes section 5 of the administration of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, despite that Inibehe did not attempt to escape or engage in any form of violence.
The solicitors, therefore, requested that the IGP promptly investigate the allegations of violations of Inibehe’s human rights by the officers of both Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Correctional Centres and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Parts of the petition signed by Abubakar Marshal of Falana & Falana’s Chambers and seen by SaharaReporters read, “We have confirmed that our client was assaulted, tortured, handcuffed and forcefully transferred from Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre to Uyo Custodial Centre in brazen contravention of section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, despite the fact that there was no reasonable apprehension of violence nor any attempt to escape by him.
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“Our client was dehumanized and maltreated like a common criminal by subjugation to horrendous humiliation by the devious officers of the Custodial Centres. His right dignity of his human person enshrined and protected by section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, was brazenly infringed upon as he was unnecessarily constrained, demeaningly paraded, gleefully scorned and forced to sit in stressful positions while his head and beards were malignantly shaved off with unsterilized instrument(s)contrary to his will.
“Emphatically, our non-provocative client was forced to assume fixed and stressful bodily positions, humiliated by shaving off his head and beards with unsterilized instruments against his will, paraded before prison inmates and placed under intolerable, inhuman conditions and also subjected to degrading mental treatment without any justification whatsoever contrary to the lucid provisions of section 2(a)(1x), 2(b)(xi) & (xii) of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017.
“Consequently, we humbly request that you use your good offices to promptly investigate the allegations of the violations of our client’s human rights by the erring officers of both Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Correctional Centres and bring the perpetrators of these dastardly acts to book.”