Nigeira: Court slams police for negligence

For shooting one Mr Darlington Amaiham unlawfully, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, awarded N10 million as damages against the Nigerian Police Force, the Police Inspector General, and three of its officers, for negligence.

Trial judge,Justice Mohammed Yunusa awarded the amount as damages, in a fundamental rights suit which prayed the court to declare that the reckless shooting by the respondents, amounted to a violation of his right to life.

The Nigerian Police Force, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Insp. Usman Shehu, Cpl. Alex Edomagbon, and Cpl. Seun Adewale were the respondents.

The applicant in the suit filed in September 2012 through his counsel, Mr Joseph Odeh of “Access to Justice,” sought to enforce his fundamental rights against the respondents.

Amaiham had claimed the sum of N10 million as general damages, for the reckless and sporadic shooting by the fourth to sixth respondents, which he said had left him incapacitated.

He also claimed the sum of N5 million as exemplary and aggravated damages, in addition to the sum of N128,800 as special damages for his medical expenses.

Justice Yunusa in his judgment, granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant, adding that he was bound by law to do so, since the respondents had failed to defend the suit since it was instituted.

Meantime, two men suspected to be ritualists were caught after   cutting off the head of a woman in Ibadan yesterday.

Men from Oyo state police command who  stormed Olufana village, Igbo-Oloyin, Ibadan in Akinyele Local Government Area of the State after a tip-off yesterday arrested two suspected ritualists with fresh human head.

While speaking with newsmen on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Olabisi Ilobanafor said the men were arrested in connection with the incident.

The suspects were reportedly seen cutting the head of the woman at Igbo-Oloyin village.One of the suspects, who claimed he was a farmer said he was asked to produce a human head for anti-bullet charm.


Source: Vanguard Nigeria