A Bureau De Alternate operator, Suleiman Sani, has filed a basic rights enforcement go well with in opposition to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee for alleged arrest, torture, and unlawful detention with out trial.
The applicant, thru his attorney, Edwin Anikwem (SAN), who filed the go well with on Friday, was once in search of an series directing the EFCC to pay N200m usually damages and N1bn in exemplary damages for the flagrant violation of his basic rights.
Within the go well with, introduced underneath Division 46 of the 1999 Charter, the applicant additionally requested for a courtroom series compelling the EFCC to factor an unreserved family apology for infringing on his basic rights.
In a 33 Paragraph affidavit sworn to through a litigation clerk, Olalekan Bayode, within the legislation company of Edwin Anikwem (SAN), mentioned that the applicant have been within the detention of EFCC, at Okotie Eboh Side road, Ikoyi, Lagos, since June 1, 2024, following his arrest through the respondent.
He averred that the applicant have been sporting on his industry since 1993 as a bureau de trade operator.
The deponent additionally mentioned that the applicant was once invited through the EFCC by way of a phone name on June 1, 2024, to report back to their workplace at 15A, Awolowo Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.
As a accountable and law-abiding citizen, the applicant complied with the invitation.
In step with the deponent, upon arriving on the EFCC workplace, the applicant was once puzzled about sure transactions homogeneous to his Bureau De Alternate industry, which he duly defined.
He averred that the officers of the EFCC knowledgeable him that the solutions he equipped have been unsatisfactory and averted him from resignation their workplace thereby arresting and detaining him.
The deponent additionally mentioned that the applicant was once now not given any details about the character of the offence he was once arrested and detained.
He mentioned, “The applicant has now not been charged with any felony offence, neither has he been knowledgeable of what his offence is since his arrest and detention on June, 1,2024.
“Because of the broke sanitary status of the cellular, the applicant evolved an especially painful abscess on his fingertips generation he was once in detention.
“The applicant was once now not handled for the ailment in spite of complaining formally to be taken to the health facility, and because of the mentioned untreated painful abscess at the fingertips, the applicant evolved hypertension.
“That after the applicant complained to officials of the EFCC, about his fitness status, he was once left out as there was once incorrect scientific facility to cater for his deteriorating fitness.
“That as a result of the applicant’s arrest and detention without trial, the applicant’s business has been closed for more than 150 days which has led to substantial financial loss in the business.”
He added that the applicant was once the only real breadwinner of his crowd, which comprised a housewife, 8 youngsters, and an ill elderly mom of 105 years worn.
“That because of the applicant’s arrest and detention, the applicant’s youngsters had been out of college because of incapacity to pay their college charges and alternative incidental bills.
“As a result of the applicant’s arrest and continued detention, the applicant’s mother has resorted to praying for death as she does not want to be the one to bury her son”.
He mentioned that it will be within the hobby of justice for the appliance to be urgently and expeditiously motivated because the applicant have been languishing in detention.
As a result, the applicant is praying for a declaration that his endured detention on the EFCC’s custody with out charging him to courtroom flagrantly violates his basic proper to hour.
“An series imposing the applicant’s basic rights through ordering his loose from illegal detention lately imposed on him through the Respondents.
“An series compelling the respondents to gentle an unreserved family apology to the applicant for the infringement on his basic rights.
“An series mandating the respondent to pay the Applicant basic damages of N200m (Two Hundred Million Naira) just for harassment, torture, arrest, and illegal detention with out trial.
“An series mandating the respondents to pay to the Applicant the sum of N1bn, (One Billion Naira) most effective as exemplary damages for the flagrant violation of his basic rights, illegal arrest and detention with out trial.