100 year old Ishola Shodiya and four others were granted permission by the FCT High court in Abuja to sue the police for unlawfully detaining them since August 2009 without any charges. Justice M.M. Dodo ordered the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yuguda to bring the five detainees to court on December 8, 2009.

The detainees want the court to declare that their arrest and detention since August 2009 till date without any charges against them is a gross violation of their rights to personal liberty according to Section 35 in the 1999 Constitution and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The five detainees are also seeking a payment of N50 million ($332,700) in damages.

According to City News, the detainees are farmers from Ogun State, who petitioned against a Mr. Enitan, alleging that he was causing havoc and murder. The lawyer of the detainees, Barrister P.A.N Ejiofor said Mr. Enitan also wrote a petition to the police and mobilized them to arrest and detain the father, family and community members that petitioned against him.

"Instead of the police team known as X squad to investigate the allegation, they rather undertook to arrest the father and relations of the murdered victims while the suspected murderers walk the streets free," Barrister Ejiofor said.

Daily Trust

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