Detention of Ekiti lawmaker: Court awards N5m against DSS

A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday declared the arrest and detention of Ekiti State lawmaker, Afolabi Akanni, by men of Department of State Service (DSS) as illegal.
The judge, Justice Taiwo Obayomi, held that the arrest and detention of the lawmaker without being charged to court amount to infringement of his fundamental human right.
Obayomi also awarded N5 million against the DSS.
“Akanni was arrested and detained without any warrant of arrest, he was not charged to court and the plaintiff was deprived of access to his lawyer, family and doctor.
“This action amount to infringement to right of liberty and is hereby declared illegal and unlawful,’’ Obayomi held.
Akanni’s Counsel, Mr Obafemi Adewale, had approached the court in the suit number: FHC/AD/CS/2016 challenging the alleged unlawful arrest of his client.
Adewale in his 22 paragraph affidavit urged the court to award N50,000,000 damages in favour of his client.
The operatives of DSS were neither present nor represented by any counsel when the judgment was delivered on Wednesday.
Obayomi had on March 11 ordered that court processes be served on the defendant through the mass media or as requested by lawyer to the plaintiff.
Meanwhile, the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Kola Oluwawole, has described the judgement as victory for democracy.
“The court as the voice of common man is still alive to its duties,’’ Oluwawole said.
Oluwawole said that they were only been humiliated by those who want Governor Ayo Fayose out of office by all means.