Illegal Detention: Court orders Ebonyi CP, others to pay N4m damages to Ukpai Ibe, Boniface Ama

A federal high court sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, has ordered the state commissioner of police, Garba Aliyu, two of his subordinates, as well as the Caretaker Chairman of Amangwu Edda Development Union, Mr. Chima Ekumankama and one Oko Eseni Oko, alias Oko Perry, to pay N2 million each to Messrs Ukpai Ibe and Boniface Ama for detaining them illegally.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Ibe and Ama on November, 11, 2021 against the Police commissioner and four others for the violation of their fundamental human rights.

The duo alleged that on 4th November, 2021, the police had crudely arrested them, acting on a petition written by Chima and Eseni alleging that they were encouraging Amangwu citizens to refrain from paying electricity bills to a Committee set up by Chima.

The Police allegedly handcuffed the duo in their underpants in Amangwu Community around 6am on 4th November, 2021 and drove them to the Police Headquarters in Abakaliki, where they were detained overnight, as all efforts made to release them on bail failed.

After filling the case for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights, the police again re-arrested Ukpai Ibe in court and attempted to arraign him before a Magistrate Court in Abakaliki on frivolous charges.

But delivering a judgement on the suit filed by the two individuals on Monday, the presiding judge of the high court, Justice Fatun Odoi Riman, ordered the police commissioner and the four others to pay N2 million each to them.

Justice Riman condemned the brutal and inhuman conduct of the police in the matter and granted the request of the plaintiffs’ lawyers for damages and ordered the respondents to pay damages to the tune of N4 million to the plaintiffs.