BENIN CITY – A legal practitioner, A. O. Osemwegie, Esq. has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Benin, to order the Inspector General of Police (IG) as Respondents jointly and severally to pay the sum of N20 million Naira (Twenty million Naira) for unlawful arrest, detention and torture of 5 staff of a Security Outfit who were unlawfully detained and tortured, since 15th May 2015.
The legal practitioner from Faith Osadolor   Chambers is seeking the court’s intervention under the fundamental Human Rights Enforcement procedure, Rules, 2009 and under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
The legal practitioner is also asking for the release forthwith of the 5 staff of the security outfit who are Messrs Seyi Erhengbo; Uwuigbe Ebegho; Abayomi Ajayi; Best Igbinomwanhia and Pletra Omosivbie.
In a motion on Notice in Suit No: FHC/B/es/110/2015 which named the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Edo State and DCP Chris O. Ezike as Respondents is seeking an order of the court restraining the Respondents, their agents privies, servants or representatives howsoever described from further arresting, torturing, threatening, harassing, molesting, intimidating, psychological hurting and/or detaining the applicants in connection with security matters at Oliha Market, Benin City.
In his motion on Notice, he sought a declaration that the arrest, detention, and torture of the applicants by the respondents is arbitrary, unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional and violates the applicants’ rights as guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples right.
He contended that the applicants are staff of Erhengbo Okomo Security services Nigeria Limited who was appointed to take charge of security in Oliha Market Benin City, by Oredo Local Government Council on 11th of May 2015.
According to him, the applicants on the directive of the Managing Director of Erhengbo Okomo Security Services Nig. Ltd assumed duty to take charge of  security at Oliha Market, Benin City on the 15th of May, 2015, adding that the 1st Respondent sent the 3rd Respondent to lead a team of Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) on special duty to Edo State as a result of the spate of secret cult activities in the state.
He averred that “That in bitter response to the termination of his appointment for dereliction of duty and undue high handedness by Oredo Local Government Council , Mr. Frank Ogudezi invited the 3rd Respondent and his team to Oliha Market, Benin City to arrest the Applicants.
“The Applicants were utterly shocked, when the 3rdd Respondent led his team to arrest them at the instance of Mr. Frank Ogudezi at about 6:15am on the 16th of May, 2015, less than ten hours after they assumed duty”, he further averred.