Panel beater drags IG, Anambra CP, others to court over illegal detentions.
. Demands N25m compensation
An Onitsha, Anambra State based panel beater, Mr. Friday Onyeobi, has dragged the Inspector General of Police ( IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr Aderemi Adeoye, Commander, Special Anti Cultism Squad, SPACS, Obosi, to an Onitsha high court, over alleged infringement on his fundamental rights by arresting, detaining and torturing him for five consecutive days, (July 4 to July 8, ), 2023.
In the reliefs Onyeobi who hails from Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area, sought through his lawyer, Barr. Callistus Mmagu, demanded for the sum of N25million compensation being general and examplary damages.
He also prayed the Court to declare that his arrest, torture, and detention at Special Anticult Squad, Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State constituted a ” gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights to dignity of human person, personal Liberty and freedom of movement.
Onyeobi also pleaded with the Court to grant an injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, servants, privies, and hirelings from further arrest, detention, harassment and intimidation of himself as well as make other orders as the court might deem fit.
The panel beater was said to have been arrested when a Toyota Rav-4 jeep with registration number KSF776CQ bought, refurbished and entrusted to him to sale by his friend, Mr. Esiobi Okwudili, was stolen from where it was parked at Omagba Phase11, Onitsha on June 19, 2023.
Esiobi who procured the services of SPACS, Obosi, had earlier taken Onyeobi to two native doctors at Nsugbe and Awkuzu both in Anambra State.
The Anti Cultism squad, said Onyeobi’s lawyer, chained his left hand with his left leg, and right hand with his right leg together.
Onyeobi’s lawyer added, “They hung him on pole like a goal post, where they loaded four six inches solid blocks on his back, forcing him to confess that he stole the vehicle, so that he would be released.
“When he refused to agree with them, said the lawyer, Onyeobi was brought down but he was already at the point of death especially when they loaded the fourth block on him.
“He was later released on bail after extorting twenty thousand naira (N20,000) from him,” he further revealed.
