The Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, for ward 9, in Eastern Obolo Local Government, Smart Jaja, has dragged the Nigerian Army, 6th Battalion, Ibagwa, in Abak Local Government area, before the Akwa Ibom State High court, challenging his alleged wrongful arrest and detention.
In suit NO HU/FHR. 309/2024, Jaja listed as 1st applicant along with Elisha Pepple, Johnny Pepple, Noah Pepple, Obadiah Pepple and 32 other youths of Kampa Village of Eastern Obolo LGA, praying the court to award a Five Hundred Million Naira (500,000,000) against the commanding Officer listed as respondent in the suit.
The applicants were said to have been arrested on September 10th, 2024, allegedly by men of the Nigerian Army after they were brutalized and taken to the Army Baracks at Ibagwa, where they have allegedly been held behind bars for about 2 weeks without trial.
The were also said to have been arrested at night in the house of the 1st Applicant, where they had gathered as a central take-off point for a peaceful protest at dawn `against the unwholesome oil and gas exploration activities of Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited and their subsidiary/ partner – Natural Oil Services Limited.
In the suit, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Uyo on Tuesday, the applicants through their lawyer, Ekemini Udim, Esq., are praying the Court to “declare that their arrest and detention by the Nigerian Army, is in violation of their rights to freedom of movement and personal liberty, guaranteed by Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and, therefore, unlawful.”
They are also praying the court for: 1) “An order directing the Officer Commanding Wellington Bassey Military Barracks, lbagwa, to bring before this court for assessment of their physical states and wellbeing, without delay, the Applicants in this suit and all other persons in their custody that were arrested at Kampa Village of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday, 10th September, 2024.
2) “The sum of N500,000,000. (Five Hundred Million) Naira as damages and compensation against the Respondents in favour of the Applicants.”
