The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase over
the detention of one its members, Yomi Olomofe, demanding damages to the
tune of N100m, reports ITRealms.
Olomofe, who had been having a running battle with the Nigeria
Customs Service was invited to the police office in Panti, Lagos, for
clarification on the matter, but rather than being questioned on the purpose of
the visit, was on Thursday detained.
Olomofe, who doubles as the editorial board chairman of Badagry
Prime News, was later moved to the Alagbon command in Ikoyi area of the state.
A copy of the petition made available to ITRealms by the union’s
lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, the NUJ and Olomofe are seeking for a public apology, assurance of Olomofe’s safety, N100
million compensation for
breach of fundamental rights.
In the said petition, NUJ said that Olomofe has, again, been
admitted to the hospital for urgent medical attention and that the shock of his
latest harassment has caused him a fresh psychological breakdown and emotional
distress, as he has been told by his doctors that he has relapsed into a state
of depression with his blood pressure alarmingly high.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under your watch, has done nothing to
bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act of attempted murder to justice for
nine (9) months is a monumental scandal. But that our client could be framed up
and the Police Force, who ought to be his “friend", could be a willing
ally or tool of persecution in the hands of those who are still hell-bent on
eliminating our client, is worse than a scandal. It is an unmitigated tragedy
of policing and law-enforcement in Nigeria.
“Our position is that although the Police is vested with powers of
arrest and detention under the Police Act, Criminal Procedure Act, the
Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos, 2011, and the Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, there is no lawful excuse or
justification for the arrest and detention of our client, his release from
Police custody within twenty-four (24) hours in seeming compliance with the
provision of Section 35 of the Constitution, notwithstanding. Our client's
rights to the dignity of the human person and personal liberty, guaranteed by
Sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution, have been violated. And his right to
freedom of expression and the press under Section 39 of the same Constitution,
as a practicing journalist, who is being cowed, intimidated and harassed [in
order to compel him into self-censorship], is implicated.
“In the circumstances, we hereby request, that the Nigeria Police
Force refrain from further violating the rights of our client, at the instance
of his assailants and tormentors, as described above.
“Now that the Nigeria Police Force has not only refused to
investigate the complaint of our client, with a view to bringing those who
intended and attempted to murder him to justice, but also has joined in the
abuse of our client's fundamental human rights, the Nigeria Police Force and
the Inspector-General of Police should assure our client, and his family of
their continued safety.
“The Nigeria Police Force should investigate the dormant complaint
of our client, and bring his assailants, who are still threatening his life, to
justice.
“For the aforementioned violation of his rights, the Nigeria Police
Force should pay the sum of N100 Million Damages to our client, within
twenty-one [21] days of delivery of this petition; and
“That the Inspector-General of Police, on behalf of the Nigeria
Police Force, should, within twenty-one [21] days of delivery of this petition,
tender a public apology to our client, and the apology should be published in three
(3) national newspapers (dailies), for the aforesaid violation of our client's
fundamental rights.
“If the Nigeria Police
Force refuses, neglects or fails to comply with the
demands made herein, within twenty-one [21] days of delivery of this letter, we
shall not hesitate to institute a legal action against the Nigeria Police Force
and your good self to secure the enforcement of the fundamental rights of our
client, in a court of law with requisite jurisdiction”, the petition reads.
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