Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare have sued the Department of State Services, DSS, claiming N500 million each for their illegal detention despite two courts directing the body to free him.
In separate fundamental rights enforcement suits they filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the duo, maintained that they are entitled to general and aggravated damages of N500million each as a result of violations of their rights to personal liberty, dignity of person, fair hearing, family life, freedom of association and freedom of movement.
Sowore made the demand in a suit marked FHC/ABJ /C51409/2019 dated November 20, 2019 and obtained by Sahara Reporters in Abuja on Friday.
The suit was supported by a 21-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Abubakar Marshall and accompanied by a written address.
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.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has continued to detain Sowore giving different excuses for his continued incarceration.
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