Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Delta State have filed a lawsuit against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and the Nigerian Army over alleged illegal detention.
The petition before the High Court Effurun in no EHC/ FHC / 17/ 2023 was filed by Mr Ochuko Polo Ogolor, Mr Godspower Onoyake, Mr Coffe Uko, Mr Oghor Ayevoh, Mr Alex Omofone, and Mr Friday Awhavbera.
The plaintiffs are challenging the defenders; Omo Agege, the 63 brigade commander, Brig. Gen S. Aliu, Major I.H Liman Captain A.M Ayake, and the Nigeria Army for the wrongful arrest and detention.
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Also, the petitioners demanded the sum of six hundred million Naira (N600 million) exemplary damages from them.
Omo-Agege had sent a petition to the Nigerian Army against Ochuko Polo Ogolor, the PDP Ugborikoko ward chairman, and four other supporters of the Uvwie Local Government Council Area which prompted their arrest and detention.
A source told Newsmen:
“The intention of the petitioners was to mislead the army with false narrative/ information to get the PDP supporters arrested and locked up throughout the general elections period. The army personnel of 63 battalion led by one Captain A S Ayak, allegedly in cahoot with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege under a tenuous petition, made some several unsuccessful attempts to arrest the targeted PDP members before the presidential election which they however succeeded in executing on the day of the presidential election when all party stakeholders were compelled to come out to work for the success of their party.
“So whilst carrying out their Civic duties on the 25th of February 2023, one Joan Joko Onomuaborigho, an aide to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege led soldiers to several polling units, pointed and identified some PDP leaders to Captain Ayake who ordered his boys to arrest them and eventually taken to Army Barracks Effurun.
“While being held in custody at Effurun barracks, several entreaties and legal representations to get the detainees released or charged to court were rebuffed by Captain Ayake and his brigade commander notwithstanding the dingy and most dehumanising treatment they were subjected from 25th February to 22 of March 2023 at the insistence of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in the delusional belief that incarcerating PDP strong supporters in targeted communities and local governments will pave way for him to manipulate himself to victory in the governorship election.
“The wrongly detained PDP members eventually released after three weeks of horrendous experience saw themselves admitted for various ailments in different hospitals in Effurun and Warri.
“So whilst carrying out their Civic duties on the 25th of February 2023, one Joan Joko Onomuaborigho, an aide to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege led soldiers to several polling units, pointed and identified some PDP leaders to Captain Ayake who ordered his boys to arrest them and eventually taken to Army Barracks Effurun.”
It was said that Omo-Agege and Major Liman did not respond to texts and phone calls, however, Captain Ayake who led the operation of that day said:
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“I don’t want to care how you got my number. The human right. What did President Buhari say? President Buhari said that anybody that is scattering polling unit, that we should fire them. You no thank God say we no fire them. You are just talking to me. I don’t want to know you. Send the case to my office. I have evidence.
“Evidence de my hand. I videoed everything that day. So don’t even call my line. The federal government can even blame me. Is it because I arrested them? Fire anything to my office. I was deployed officially. I did not deploy illegally.
“If they are filing a case, let them file it. Don’t you know what happened in Lokoja when they tried that kind of a thing when the soldier fired them. Is it because I arrested them? Even though you as a human being if you are at the polling unit that day and people are beating you and pursuing you away, will you be happy? You went there to go and votes, then some boys, start disturbing the polling unit, will you be happy?
“Do you think, I will just see any human being and arrest them if they don’t do anything? Let us be sincere because somebody wants to give you money. Are they the only one in the polling unit? Let them write to the headquarter, they will summon me and I will respond.”
