Court slams N20m damages against Police AIG, 2 others for unlawful arrest of village head

,,,,,,An Akwa Ibom State High Court, sitting in Uyo, on Thursday, awarded twenty million Naira (N20 million) damages against the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Zone 6 Calabar and two others for unlawful arrest and detention of the village head of Ikot Oku Ikono, Eteidung Okon Nnanah.

,,,,,,Justice Ntong found the AIG and the two other respondents liable for breaching the fundamental rights of the applicant.

The trial judge ordered the police to pay the royal father N20m for arresting him on 28th February, 2022 and 28th April, 2022 at the Anti-Cultism Unit of the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan and continually harassing him till date.

Awarding the cost against each of the respondents, Justice Ntong ruled, “Jimmy Godwin, who instigated the police against the Village Head is to pay N10 million, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar, who authorised the unlawful action, to pay N6 million, while the Investigative Police Officer, one Inspector Wofai Johnson of Anti-Vice Unit, Zone 6, Calabar, who obeyed the unlawful order of the AIG, is to pay the village head, N4 million.”

,,,,,,He said the action of the police had consistently made the village head to suffer aggravated and psychological harassment, just because he performed his constitutional functions for his community.

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Justice Ntong said the police chose to remain aloof after they were served the originating processes in the matter.

,,,,,,The court said the Nigeria Police should now be more discreet and civil in their investigations, especially where the matter is civil and contractual.