Delta Chief drags IGP to court over unlawful arrest

A Delta Chief, Princewill Tadafe and Sir Raymond Olughor have dragged the Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase to the Federal High Court, Warri over perceived unlawful arrest of them and five others by the Police Area Command in Warri Delta State, Fresh Angle International can report.

According to the motion on notice in suit no: FHC/WR/CS/100/2015, the petitioner is praying the court to compel the Police authorities to “investigate the report contained in the petition of the applicants to the respondents”.

Chief Tadafe and Sir Olughor are also seeking the relief on the ground that the arrest, detention and alleged torture on them and others at the Police Area Command, Warri should be declared “unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null and void, as such an abuse of their fundamental human rights as stated in section 34 (1) 35 (1) and 36 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999”.

They are also demanding five million naira from the Police High Command as “damages suffered as a result of the alleged illegal, unconstitutional and unlawful arrest, detention and torture”.

The plaintiffs are equally seeking an order of injunction restraining the respondents (Police) their agents, themselves, privies, servants or whomsoever from further “arresting, re-arresting, harassing, inviting, molesting, interfering in any manner with the applicants’ enjoyment of their fundamental rights to wit: personal liberty, freedom of movement, freedom from inhuman treatment as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, Section 34 (1) 35 (1) and 36 (1)”.

Counsel to the applicants is Chief A.E. Ukrakpor and parties to the suit have been served. The respondents are The Inspector General of Police (1^st respondent) Commissioner of Police, Delta State (2^nd respondent) Mr. Mohammed Muazu (3^rd respondent) ASP Patrick Ebesa (4^th respondent) and Sgt. Musa, even as no date has been fixed for hearing on the suit.

Meanwhile, indigenes of Ugbomro/Iteregbi Communities have accused the Ovie of Uvwie, Emmanuel Sideso Abe 1 of causing mayhem in their communities.

In an interview, Iteregbi Community Secretary, Chief Bernard’ Ikpi, accused the Uvwie Monarch of allegedly conniving with some Chiefs in the community to cause crisis in both Ugbomro and Iteregbi communities.

Chief Ikpi also accused the DPO of Ebrumede Police Station, Mr. Okon of not doing enough to bring peace to the community.

According to him, when they wanted to make entry at the Ebrumede Police Station, the DPO refused to allow them, purportedly on the directive of the Ovie of Uvwie.

He further alleged that they can no longer enter their community, claiming thugs have taken over their homes. He also stated that some of the thugs that illegally occupied their homes have been arrested by the Police at Agbarho for suspected armed robbery.

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