Unlawful arrest: Delta monarch slams N100m suit against IGP, 15 others 

A Delta State monarch, Obi Paul Nzemeke, Okilie II,  the Obi of Egbudu-Akah kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government area of Delta State, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to award N100 million damages against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Deputy Inspector General of Police, Area 10, Abuja and Commissioner of Police, Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)  Abuja, and 13 others over his unlawful arrest.

Obi, and three others, in the fundamental human rights suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/234/2017 filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also asked  for an order restraining the Police boss 15 other respondents from further inviting, arresting, intimidating, harassing or unlawfully detaining him and other applicants, their members, staff, loyalists and supporters or whoever is acting for or through the applicants.

The other applicants include, Hon. Augustine Chikezie, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delta State, Dennis Onwuyali and Chuks Nwanbunwanne as 2nd, 3rd and 4th applicants respectively.

The applicants, in the suit alleged that their unlawful arrest and detention on March 1, 2017 followed a malicious petition written by prince Solomon Ogwuagwu Obiokolie, Anthony Egbune and Patrick Wepuaka who are the 4th, 5th and 6th respondents.

Other respondents in the suit are; IGP,  DIG, Area 10 Abuja, Commissioner of Police in charge of SARS,  Chiadika Felix,  Victor Okpuzor,  Sunday Meninwa, Sylvester Uche enuechie, Charles OJianwuna,  Ezinwa Nwanbunwanne,  Joseph Obanyagbor, Felix Iwebenua, Richard Iwebenua and Emeke Osagie.

Okolie II, also prayed for an order of the court restraining the 4th to 16th respondents from further giving false report to the Police since the issue of ownership/management of Atochi Rubber Estate, a Delta state owned rubber plantation which cumulated into the kingship tussle between him and Solomon Obiokolie, and his brothers from Obiokolie ruling family in Egbudu-Akah are now pending in suit number 0/35/016 and number 0/M/4/017 at the High Court of Justice Ogwashi Uku.

In a 22 paragraph affidavit deposed to by Dennis Onwuyali, one of the applicants in support of the application, stated that he is the Chief Security officer of Atochi Rubber Estate, Egbudu-Akah under the direct supervision of the second applicant (Hon. Augustine Chikezie).

The deponent stated that Obiokolie II is the traditional ruler of Egbudu-Akah by virtue of being the eldest son of his late father, His Royal Majesty, Obi Agbogidi Olo-Omee, Alfred Okolie 1, who died on September 30,2016 and that he (Obiokolie II) was coronated according to the native law and custom of Egbudu-Akah.

He stated that the 4th respondent (Prince Solomon Obiokolie) is the 7th but 3rd surviving son of the late king. That the said prince Obiokolie and others usurped the position of the 1st applicant as a factional traditional ruler of Egbudu-Akah.

He further stated that on January 21,2017, while he was escorting rubber from the plantation with some other workers they were intercepted by the 5th, 6th respondents and 12 others who robbed them with short guns and cutlasses.

That sequel to the robbery incident, he petitioned the Delta State Commissioner of Police. That following his petition, the 4th, 5th and 6th respondents wrote a malicious petition to the IGP, upon which false information  he and the other applicants were arrested.

When the matter came up for mention on Thursday before Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja, neither the respondents nor their counsel appeared in court.

However, counsel to the applicants, Nath Obiokolie informed the court that he had served the respondents the originating processes but that the respondents have not responded.

The court however informed the Applicants’ counsel that the Respondents filed their process, even though they have not served the Applicants.

Accordingly, the court directed that a fresh hearing notice be served on the respondents’ counsel, and adjourned the matter till May 24, 2017 for hearing.