A former Commissioner in the cabinet of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodima, Dr. Fabian Ihekweme, has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian Police Force and the Imo State Commissioner of Police in the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking N5 million in damages.
The suit alleges gross violations of his fundamental human rights due to his unlawful arrest and detention by the Police in Imo State.
In the lawsuit, marked FHC/ABI/CS/1809/2024, Ihekweme is requesting a perpetual injunction to restrain the Police from further arrests, threats, detention, intimidation, assault, and harassment related to unsubstantiated allegations, which infringe upon his right to freedom of expression.
He is also seeking a court order to compel the defendants to either immediately release him or grant him bail, pending further investigation or charges, as stipulated in Sections 35(4) and (5) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Additionally, Ihekweme seeks a declaration that his arrest on November 28 in Abuja—conducted in a strange, intimidating, and harassing manner by the Imo State Police, who allegedly assaulted him—constitutes a violation of his fundamental human rights.
Furthermore, he claims that his continued detention by the Police infringes upon these rights.
Moreover, he requests the court to declare that the Police’s denial of access to his team of lawyers since his arrest on November 28, when he was taken from Abuja to Owerri, constitutes a violation of his fundamental human rights.
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He is seeking N5 million in damages for the alleged harassment, assault, and illegal detention he faced at the hands of the Police.
In an affidavit of urgency deposed to by the wife of the applicant, Mrs. Ihekweme Excel Fabian Ugo said, the applicant is managing a severe health condition and his continuous detention without access to medicare will worsen his health condition and endanger his life.
“That the applicant is now suffering double jeopardy of unlawful detention and and imminent health risk that could endanger his life”, she averred and further stated the constitution provides for rights for fair trial within a reasonable time.
She said, the applicant ought to have been released on administrative bail or charged to court, at least two days after his arrest as provided by the Constitution and added that the conduct of the respondents is arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional, harsh, oppressive and void.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit, dated and filed on December 2, 2024 as, it is yet to be assigned to a judge.
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