A High Court of Justice in Ogun State, Abeokuta Judicial Division, has awarded N25m in damages against the office of the Ogun State Commissioner of Police and five others for the unlawful arrest and detention of one Sunday Mafe.
According to a judgement obtained on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, signed by Justice E.O. Osinuga on Monday, February 5, 2024, the court held that the detention of Mafe several times by men of the Nigeria Police Force was against his fundamental human rights.
The judge also held that the several detentions of the applicant, Mafe, on December 2 to 5, 2016; December 16 to 20, 2016, and December 23 to 29, 2016, based on a petition that was written by Yomi Nuberu, a lawyer, on behalf of one Chief Sakirudeen Olufowobi, over a civil and land matter for which the police did not have jurisdiction, was without lawful justification, unconstitutional, and unlawful.
The court warned the police that their job does not include civil transactions, disputes, contracts, or land disputes.
The case with suit no. HCJ/150/2017 was between the applicant, Sunday Mafe, and the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State; former Area Commander, Ijebu Ode, Assistant Commissioner of Police Funsho Ajao (retd.); Team Leader Eleweran, Inspector Rotimi; Team Leader Eleweran, Supol Nurudeen Ayinla; Team Leader, Igbeba, Inspector Gbenga Folorunso, and Team Leader, Igbeba, Inspector Wasiu Tijani.
The application was brought by the breach of Section 125A Criminal Code CAP C38 and the breach of the applicant’s fundamental human rights as enshrined in Sections 34 and 45 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
According to the suit filed by Kayode Oshiyemi, Mafe held that he was detained several times by the men of the Nigeria Police Force in December based on a petition that was written by Yomi Nuberu on behalf of Olufowobi.
