The
Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) has filed a N2 billion suit against the
Attorney–General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector–General of Police (IGP) and
the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) over the unlawful
arrest and detention of its National Commandant, Dickson Akoh and 49 others
last week.
PCN,
through its counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) is demanding for a sum of N2
billion as compensation for the embarrassment caused on the organisation and
its Incorporated Trustees by the arrest and detention of its personnel in what
it termed "an unlawful raid of the organization's new Headquarters last
week by a combined team of Police and the DSS".
PCN
wants the Federal High Court, Abuja to declare as illegal, unlawful and
unconstitutional the arrest of Akoh and other officers of the Corps as
well as the sealing up of its Head office in Abuja and offices in the 36 States
of the Federation.
Plaintiffs
further asked the court to declare that under the 1999 constitution as amended,
they have not committed any offence to warrant their arrest, detention and
sealing up of their offices across the country as done by the defendants.
Apart
from the above reliefs, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare that the
sealing up of their office Headquarters in Abuja is illegal, unlawful,
malicious and unconstitutional having not committed any offence to warrant the
unlawful invasion and seizure of properties.
Peace
Corps is also asking Justice Gabriel Kolawole to declare that they are entitled
to Fundamental Rights to acquire and own properties, lawful assembly, freedom
of movement, personal liberty and dignity of their human persons as guaranteed
under sections 34, 35, 40, 41, and 43 of the 1999 constitution.
They
applied for an order compelling the respondents to unseal the Headquarters of
the Peace Corps of Nigeria and its offices nationwide and release properties
seized during the invasion of their property.
They
further asked the court for an order restraining the respondents perpetually
from further harassing, intimidating, arresting and or detaining the applicants
in the course of doing their legitimate and lawful duties.
Meanwhile,
the matter is expected to be heard today by Justice Kolawole.
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