Okuama community files N100b rights enforcement suit against military
RESIDENTS of the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, have filed a N100 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Nigerian Army at the Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State.
Applicants, who are 17, in the suit marked FHC/ WR/ CS/ 41/ 2024 are Victor Akemor, Madam Omotiwori Olarehor, Victor Odi, Okrika Emmanuel, Austin Eferemua and 12 others.
They said they are suing for themselves and on behalf of other residents of the Okuama community.
The suit, filed on their behalf by human rights lawyer, Chief Malcom Omirhobo is asking the court to award N100billion as exemplary damages against the respondent’s abuse of power, oppression, repression and subjugation of the applicants and other residents of the Okuama community.
The applicants said the respondent also violated their fundamental right to the dignity of their human person, right to fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement, right of choice of place of residency and right to own property and the destruction, burning and razing down of the whole buildings in their community leaving only the Anglican Church, the Okuama Secondary school and the Aderha primary school buildings as well as the looting of their moveable property.
They are, therefore, praying the court to declare that the respondent’s accusation, media trial and sentencing of the applicants and other residents of Okuama community for the murder of 17 soldiers which they have no hands in on March 14, 2024, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime and without following due process of law is a flagrant violation of their right to a fair hearing and therefore unconstitutional.
They also want the court to declare that the respondent’s deployment of troops for the invasion and brutal death of 17 soldiers which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them and dishing out collective punishment on them by killing, maiming, brutalising, etc., and causing them to flee into various towns, bushes and creeks for safety and living a life of destitute violates their right to the dignity of their human person and therefore unconstitutional.
In addition, the applicants are asking the court to declare that the invasion by the military violated their right to private and family life; freedom of movement and right of choice of place of residency; right to own both moveable and immovable properties; and that the taking over possession of their land by the troops is an abuse of power.