A 50-year-old Lagos woman, Mrs. Shakirat Aramide Gbadebo, has filed a N25 million lawsuit against the State Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti-Yaba, Supol Bamidele, Inspector Bunmi Adeyemo of the D-4 Unit, and Mrs. Ganiyat Ajoke Shittu. The suit is in response to her alleged illegal arrest and detention for 12 days without being charged in court.
According to a press release made available to 9News Nigeria by CHRSJ, Mrs. Gbadebo, the plaintiff in Suit No: IKD/15528MFHR/2023, alleges she was unlawfully detained following a business dispute with Mrs. Ganiyat Ajoke Shittu. She claims that the named police officers extorted N1 million from her, purportedly as part of a debt recovery related to the N5.8 million she allegedly owes Mrs. Shittu. Mrs. Gbadebo argues this action violated her right to property and constituted a serious crime by the police officers.
The lawsuit, filed in the Ikorodu Judicial Division of the State High Court, invokes several constitutional provisions and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Mrs. Gbadebo’s counsel, Barrister Shakiru Omolaja, is urging the court to declare her 12-day detention illegal, unconstitutional, and void. He cited previous cases, Afribank (Nig) Plc vs. Oyimah and McLaren vs. Jennings, emphasizing that the police should not be involved in debt collection.
This case also highlights other allegations against the SCID officers by the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), which claims they illegally arrested its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, without prior notice over a disputed payment.
Barrister Omolaja contends that the police, upon receiving a complaint, should conduct an unbiased investigation and, if necessary, charge the accused in a competent court rather than presuming guilt without due process.
The case has been adjourned to Wednesday, May 22, 2024, before Hon. Justice Oshodi at the Ikorodu Judicial Division’s High Court 3.
Reported by 9News Nigeria.
