[quoteBy Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa—A loyalist of former Governor Timipre Sylva
of Bayelsa State, Tonye Okio, has instituted a suit
against the state Commissioner of Police, challenging
his arrest and detention.
Okio, in the suit before a Bayelsa State High Court
sitting in Yanagoa, is contending that his continued
detention is unlawful.
In an affidavit in support of the suit, Okio averred
that he was taken to Yenagoa by road, hand- cuffed
and blindfolded throughout the journey, from Abuja
to Yenagoa.
He is asking the court to declare that his arrest and
detention is contrary to section 35 of the 1999
Constitution, as amended.
He also wants the court to declare that his arrest and
detention on the basis of a publication on his
Facebook account was a violation of his fundamental
rights.
Okio also prayed the court to hold that the physical
and mental torture he has been subjected to
amounted to a denial of his right to dignity.
Accordingly, he has asked the court to award him
N2.2 billion in exemplary and general damages.
Okio averred in his affidavit that “On October 26,
2013, some officers and men of the Bayelsa State
Command of the Nigeria Police arrested me while I
was in my house in Abuja and whisked me away to
their office in Yenagoa and have continued to detain
me.
“The policemen refused to disclose to me their
reason for the arrest but simply informed me that
they were from the Bayelsa State Command of the
Nigeria Police and that I was needed by Governor
Dickson and the State Police Commissioner. I was
taken to Yenagoa by road, bound feet to hands with
cuffs and blindfolded throughout the journey from
Abuja to Yenagoa.
“I was beaten and tortured by the policemen, who
openly boasted that they will kill me and do away
with my corpse for daring Governor Dickson, who had
instructed them to do to me as it pleased them. I was
so afraid of being killed by the policemen in the
course of the dark journey as the words and actions
of my captors were mutually reinforcing to the extent
that I even urinated on my clothes in the process.”
quote]

Source- http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/detained-sylva-loyalist-okio-sues-police-alleged-unlawful-detention/

sonickay: [/quot[quote author=sonickay]
Source- http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/detained-sylva-loyalist-okio-sues-police-alleged-unlawful-detention/

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