Lekki bank robbers suspect sues police with # 1 million

One of the four Lekki bank robbery suspects has
taken the Nigerian Police Force to court, asking
for N1million damages for alleged unlawful
detention. In a suit at the Ikeja High Court in
Lagos, Ebi Tosan prayed that the police be
directed to release him on bail.
Respondents in the suit are Lagos State
Commissioner of Police and the Officer-in-Charge
of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in
Ikeja.
Tosan, 20, was paraded by the police with Duke
Odogbo, 38, Lawrence Kingsley, 31, and Ekelemo
Kuete, 30 in connection with the March 12 robbery
of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) in Lekki,
Lagos.
The applicant, who was arrested on April 5,
claimed that it was unlawful for the police to keep
him in detention without bail.
He claimed that it was unlawful for the police to
keep him in detention without bail.
The matter could not be heard yesterday when it
came before Justice Lateefa Okunnu because the
police did not bring the applicant to court.
But his counsel, Chief S.W. Baidi, complained
that his continued detention without bail was an
“infringement and curtailment of the applicant’s
constitutional right to personal liberty, freedom of
movement and presumption of innocence.”
He prayed the court to declare that Tosan’s
arrest, torture and continued detention violated
the applicant’s rights under Sections 34(1)(a),
35(1)(4) and 41 of the 1999 constitution.
In a 26-paragraph affidavit in support of the
originating summons, Tamuno Amos, who
claimed to be the applicant’s uncle, said his
nephew’s continued detention was a deliberate
act by the police to “extract a confessional
statement from him on the alleged offence.”
Amos averred that he had not been allowed to
see his nephew since his arrest on April 5.
The deponent said:
“The applicant is suffering on daily basis
without access to food, bath and other
conveniences and he may die in custody
unless granted bail.”
Last July 9, Justice Okunnu directed the police to
produce the applicant in court yesterday. But, he
was not brought, thereby stalling the hearing of
his application .
Justice Okunnu has ordered that Lagos State
Attorney-General be joined in the suit.
She adjourned the matter till October 22.
The judge said if there was any urgency, the
applicant could appear before October 22 before
another judge who will be sitting during the
court’s yearly vacation, which begins next week.