Activist and publisher of online medium, Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore has dragged Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) to court over his arrest and continued detention since August 3, 2019.
Mr Sowore is asking the court to order the DSS to pay him N500m as general and aggravated damages for his ”detention and illegal violation of fundamental rights.”
The activist made the demand in a suit marked FHC/ABJ /C51409/2019 dated November 20, 2019 in Abuja on Friday, November 22.
It reads, “A declaration that the detention of the applicant from November 7, 2019 till date in violation of the order for his release made on November 6, 2019 is illegal as it violates his fundamental right to liberty guaranteed by Section 35 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 6 of African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“An order of this court compelling the respondents to pay to the applicant the sum of N500,000,000, 00 (Five hundred million naira) as general and aggravated damages for the illegal violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to life, dignity of his person, fair hearing, health, freedom of movement and freedom of association.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further violating the applicant’s fundamental rights in any manner whatsoever and however without lawful justification.”
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, is joined in the suit.
Mr Sowore was arrested in Lagos on August 3, 2019 for “for threatening public safety, peaceful co-existence and social harmony in the country.”