Evans, in second suit, demands N300m damages from police

Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, has again sued the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos over his alleged illegal detention.
Other respondents in the new suit are the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.
In the new suit filed on Thursday by his counsel, Olukoya Ogungbeje, through an originating summon, marked FHC/L/CS/1012/ 2017, Evans is claiming N300 million as general and exemplary damages against the police for what he termed “illegal detention and unconstitutional media trial”.
In an affidavit deposed to by his father, Stephen Onwuamadike, in support of the suit, Ogungbeje averred that the applicant has been subjected to media trial without any court order by the respondents.
Onwuamadike further averred that the media trial and news orchestrated by the respondents have continued to generate reactions in both print and electronic media without his son being afforded fair hearing before a court of law.
Evans argued that his continued detention by the respondents since June 10, without a charge or release on bail is an infringement on his fundamental rights.
Evans is seeking a declaration that his continued detention since June 10 without arraignment violates his fundamental rights as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.
He is also seeking a declaration that his parade on June 11 before journalists in Lagos, at the Lagos Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja, without any court order is unconstitutional and illegal.
He prayed the court for an order, compelling the respondents to immediately arraign him before a law court, or release him from custody forthwith.
Evans is also seeking an order compelling the respondents to jointly and severally pay him N300 million as exemplary damages for illegal detention and alleged harm caused by the alleged media trial.
The suspect is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further arresting, detaining, harassing, investigating or inviting him in relation to the facts of his case.
He is also seeking further orders, as the court may deem fit, to make in the circumstances.
No date has been fixed for hearing in his latest suit.
However, as reported by The Eagle Online on Wednesday, the Nigeria Police has also obtained an order of the Federal High Court to detain Evans for three months in the first instance.
The order was obtained last week Thursday.