Retired soldier sues Nigerian Army for detaining 7-yr-old kid, others A retired Sergeant, Mr Burma Abdullahi, on Monday, prayed a Federal High Court in Lagos, to declare as unlawful and illegal, the arrest of his wards, including his seven-year-old son, by the Army, over their alleged membership of Boko Haram sect. Abdullahi filed the suit through a lawyer, Mr Christopher Okafor, on behalf of his wards: Ahmed Abdullahi; 16, Mohammed Abdullahi; 11, Haruna Zarkya; 18, and Yahaya Ibrahim, a seven-year old primary school pupil, over their illegal arrest and detention. Joined as respondents in the suit are: the Nigerian Army, Chief of Army Staff, General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lagos, and the Attorney General of the Federation. Abdullahi is claiming a sum of N10 million against all the respondents, for the illegal arrest and detention of his sons. At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, counsel to the applicant, Okafor, informed the court of the absence of defence counsel, despite repeated notice to him of the pending suit. Okafor also informed the court that the counter-affidavit filed by the defence, was filed out of time, adding that they had also failed to file a motion to regularise the affidavit, and pay default fee. He, therefore, urged the court to strike out the counter-affidavit of the respondents, and allow him move and adopt his application before the court. Justice Okon Abang, accordingly, granted him leave to move his application and adopt his written address. Adopting his address , Okafor prayed the court to hold that the arrest of the applicants, including a minor, constituted a breach of their rights to personal liberty.
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 07:23:30 +0000
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