Detainees sue police commissioner over Jere incident

Nineteen persons arrested in connection with the attack on the Sarkin Jere on January 3, 2014 have filed a N100 million suit against the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, over what they described as unlawful detention.

They arrested in Issah village in Jere Chiefdom in Kagarko LGA of the state and are also demanding their indefinite release from police custody where they have been kept for weeks.

In a notice filed before a Federal High Court in Kaduna yesterday, one John T. Bako and 18 others represented by Dan Kozah and Co. Chambers, Barrister Francis Kozah, said they were asking the court to declare that their arrest and continued detention without trial was illegal and constitutional and thereby constitutes a violation of their fundamental right to personal liberty and movement as guaranteed by Section 35 and 41 of the 1999 constitution.

They are also demanding an order directing or compelling the commissioner to unconditionally release them on bail forthwith or alternatively, to immediately arraign them before a competent court if they are suspected to have committed any offence according to the constitution.

They demanded an order directing the respondent to publicly apologise to them for the arrest and detention as provided for in Section 35(6) of the 1999 constitution while N100 million should be paid as damages/compensation by the commissioner for violating their rights.

The police commissioner has said all persons under detention in connection with the Jere incident would be held indefinitely until the injured persons are out of hospital to be able to appear in court to testify, a statement that compelled a group of lawyers to threaten legal action if the police fail to charge them to court or release them on bail.