Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N2 million to Okwuchukwu Obiechina, brother-in-law of self-confessed kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans.
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday pronounced the judgment against the Nigeria Police Force in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mr. Obiechina.
Justice Idris also ordered the immediate release of Mr. Obiechina, adding that he be charged to court if the police had any case against him.
In addition, the judge ordered the police to tender an apology to the kidnapper’s brother-in-law. The apology is to be published in two national newspapers.
Mr. Idris, in a judgment on Monday, declared Mr. Obiechina’s arrest and detention as unconstitutional.
He also held that the remand order, which the police claimed to have obtained from a magistrates’ court to detain him, was invalid.
His lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, said Mr. Obiechina had been “detained” by the police since June 2 in connection with the criminal charges brought against Evans.
He claimed that the accused had not committed any offence known to law to warrant their being arrested and detained.
Mr. Obiechina and his wife, Nzube, who are both plaintiffs, had sued the State Commissioner of Police, the Nigeria Police, and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in the state.
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