Former Minister of State for Defence, Muslius Obanikoro yesterday filed a N100 million lawsuit against the Federal Government at a Federal High Court in Lagos over the alleged infringement of his fundamental human rights.
The former Minister is demanding the sum as general damages for the alleged unlawful and unconstitutional seizure and detention of several items, properties and personal effects belonging to him and family by the EFCC on June 14, 2016.
The suit filed on behalf of the Obanikoro family by their lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, says, “the seizure and detention of the applicants’ several items, properties and personal effects, constitute a gross violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Section 43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Article 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Act, Cap. 10, LFN, 2004.”
“The seizure and continued detention of the applicants’ several items, properties and personal effects, are neither known to any law nor permitted by any law or procedure and, therefore, not justified.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday, June 14, raided the homes of Obanikoro, in Park View Estate, Ikoyi and another house also in Ikoyi.
The agents of the anti-graft agency took away vehicles, wristwatches and other personal effects of the former minister and his sons while Jonathan Eze, a former media aide of Obanikoro, alleged that EFCC operatives harassed and intimidated Obanikoro’s wife, daughter in-laws and their children.
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