A state high court in Port Harcourt has ordered the Divisional Police Officer of Eneka police station in Obio/Akpor, Local Government Area of Rivers State, Yahaya Bello, to pay Barrister Olubisi Afolabi the sum of 10 million Naira for violating his fundamental human rights.
Delivering judgment in the case of human right abuses, the trial judge, Justice Omeriji, said the essence of the judgment is to teach the defendant a hard lesson so as to deter others from abusing the rights of innocent citizens.
Narrating his ordeal, Barr Afolabi said he went to the police station following information that his driver was arrested together with his vehicle.
However, on getting there, he was asked by the police to pay a certain amount of money which he refused.
He said; “the DPO saw it as an opportunity to deal with me for confronting him sometimes ago over his illegal activities. He (DPO) ordered his men to torture and detain me unlawfully.”
On his part, counsel to the defendant, B. EKong said they will study the judgment and decide on the next line of action.
Also, the Chairman, Human Right Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association, Port Harcourt branch, C.B. Eke, welcomed the judgment, adding that even when the court ordered for the release of the judgment creditor’s vehicle, the police flouted the order.
“We took up this matter because we noticed a gross violation of a legal practitioner’s human rights. We will not tolerate this anymore,” Eke noted.
