Group News Editor of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Tony Amoekedo and Correspondent, Chibuzo Ukaibe have been released from Police custody with the condition that they report at the Force Headquarters daily for further investigations, Huhuonline.com can confirm.
They join Mrs. Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe, executive director, human capital; and Mr Chuks Ohuegbe, managing editor who were released late Monday night.
All four had been held in detention in connection to a story the newspaper published on a presidential directive to attack leaders of key opposition political parties.
Earlier, the two filed a suit against Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, claiming the sum of N10m for breach of trust. According to counsel to the newspaper company, Ugo Udoji Esq, who filed the suit at the Federal High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the applicants are seeking enforcement of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed under SS. 34, 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enforceable under Section 46 of the said constitution and articles 4, 5, 6, articles 9 (2) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act) and directing that the order operates as a stay against further arrest and detention of the applicants.
“The manhunt for the applicants by the officers of the Nigerian Police Force, servants and agents of the Respondent over an unknown reason and their subsequent arrest and detention are illegal and in derogation of his right to dignity of human person under S. 34 of the constitution; being kept in the cell for two days like common criminals without being charged to court and being made to look like common criminals,” a part of the court document read.
“They have been charged for two days without trial. The detention was in fragrant violation of their right to personal liberty under S. 35 of the constitution and Articles 4, 5, 6, articles 9 (2) of the African charter on human and people’s rights (ratification and enforcement) act.”
The applicants also sought other reliefs, such as a declaration that the arrest and detention of the Applicants by the officers and men of the Respondent for periods ranging from two days without justification and the threat of continued detention or further detention of the Applicants is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null and void; an order restraining the respondents, their agents or privies from arresting, re-arresting or detaining the applicants; and N10m as compensation for violation of their fundamental rights.
To support the grounds for these demands, they stated in the document that the management of the company followed up on them to Louis Edet House, however, before long information came revealing that they were later moved to an unknown destination.
Others are: “That still wanting to know, the management of the company persevered in seeking to know where they were kept. To these, some concerned officers and men who themselves were not happy with the way the Applicants were being treated informed the company that it was in connection with a news publication on issues of current affairs which are in the public domain already.
“That their family members are disturbed as to both their whereabouts and their welfare having been denied access to them. That we the lawyers also have not been allowed to see them till date and time of this affidavit.
That the Applicants have not been allowed access to their food, clothes and other personal needs that come from their families. That the applicants were not equally taken to court within the period of more than 24 hours now.
“That the applicants who have not been found guilty and convicted for any offence nor needed for execution of any judgement or sentence of any court have suffered loss of liberty, indignity and general loss of freedom.”
