A Lagos business man, Benson Enyinnah Royal, alleged to have been detained by the Nigeria Police since June 10, 2022 without trial has slammed a N200million suit against the Inspector General of Police.
Joined as co-respondents are the Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Bureau, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo and Investigating Police Officer Abiodun
Mr. Enyinnah Royal who is suing alongside his wife, Nneka Glory in a fundamental human right enforcement suit filed before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos by a lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, are seeking the following reliefs from the court:
- A declaration that the arrest and detention of Mr Benson Enyinnah Royal since 10th day of June, 2022 without any charge was unlawful, unconstitutional null and void.
- An order releasing him from the custody of the Respondents.
- An order restraining the Respondents, their servants, privies, agents from harassing, arresting and further arrest, detention of the applicants.
- An order of N200 Million damages against the Respondents jointly and severally for unlawful arrest and detention.
- And for such further order or orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
In a verifying affidavit and affidavit in support sworn to by the cousin of the first Applicant, Onyeama Benson and filed before the court by Chief Ndakara, the deponent averred that:
- Since he was arrested and up till now no reason was given for his detention for over three weeks. He did not commit any criminal offence.
- The Respondents did not find any document evidencing criminal activity.
- He believes that this arrest was a set up. There is no charge against him since 10th June 2022, the 2nd applicant Mrs Benson Nneka Glory was violated as she was stripped naked on sick bed.
- That the Applicants have no criminal record.
- That Mr Benson Enyinnah has been threatened regarding his business which he explained, as he was arrested on a pure civil transaction. He is the Director of Glonnek Energy Resources, dealing in oil and has been paying dividend to partners in the business but due to the global energy crisis he has not been able to pay hence this arrest.
- He could not pay dividend hence the instigation for his arrest by his business partners Princess Oil and Gas Ltd and Empire Global Resources. All his explanations that he and his wife had paid over N10million were ignored and the Police refused to release him.
- The Police is being used as debt collector on behalf of Empire Global Resources Limited and Princess Oil and Gas Limited.
- That if the court does not intervene, he will continue to suffer in detention.
The deponent said that in the interest of justice, the court should grant this application.