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TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has ordered the Nigerian Army to pay the sum of N20 million as damages to the Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Roland Sekibo, and two other persons, for harassment during the February 23, presidential and National Assembly elections.
The Nigerian military had raided the homes of Sekibo, Tobins Tobins and Damiete Dokubo and declared them wanted over allegations of sponsoring hoodlums to truncate the electoral process to favour the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
In his judgement in the suit filed by Sekibo and others, Justice George Omereji condemned the military for issuing a statement indicting the accused persons as the mastermind of events that occurred on February 23, during the 2019 presidential and National Assembly polls without granting them fair hearing.
Justice Omereji declared that the actions of the military against the three persons were anti-democratic.
He stated that it was wrong for the military to issue a statement declaring the three persons wanted hurriedly without the benefit of hearing from them.
Omereji, however, ordered the Nigerian Army and the Chief of Army Staff to pay the sum of N20 million, as damages following the raid on their private homes.
Meanwhile, counsel for Sekibo, Ibim Dokubo, speaking outside the courtroom, noted that the judgement of the court had proved that the chairman and others, did not do any wrong in participating in the elections.
“It gave a clear landmark judicial pronouncement, stating that the event of the 23 of February, which happened in the court of the general election as it applies to Roland Sekibo, Tobins Tobins and Damiete Dokubo, was an infringement on their fundamental human rights.
Samuel Edewede, counsel representing the first and second respondents, the Nigerian Army and the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division Port Harcourt and the Chief of Army Staff, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgement.
