A
33-year-old man, Anthony Okolie, who was arrested by the Department of State
Services and detained for 10 weeks, has sued the DSS for N500m.
Okolie, in a
suit filed before the Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, by his lawyer,
Tope Akinyode, also demanded N500m from Hanan Buhari, the daughter of the
President, Muhammadu Buhari, as well as a telecommunications company, MTN.
The suit, with
number FHC/ASB/CS/3/2020, is seeking an order to “compel the respondents (DSS,
Hanan and MTN) jointly or severally to pay the applicant the sum of
N500,000,000 only as general and aggravated damages for the gross and unlawful
violation of the applicant’s right to acquire moveable properties, freedom of
movement and self dignity.”
The
33-year-old man said in a supporting affidavit that he was arrested on July 19,
2019, in Asaba, Delta State, for using a telephone line that was previously
owned by Hanan.
According to
him, he remained in custody, bound by handcuffs, till September 22, 2019, as
the DSS waited for Hanan, who was schooling in the United Kingdom, to come and
clear him but she never did.
Okolie also
attached the receipt he was issued after purchasing the SIM card as well as the
SIM certificate.
The
affidavit read in part, “That on December 8, 2019, at Ogbeogonogo Market, Nebu
Road, Asaba, Delta State, I purchased a SIM card with Phone Number,
09035666662, for the sum of N1,000 only and I received a SIM pack with
accompanying documents as a result as evidence of purchase receipt.
“That in
line with relevant regulations, I approached a kit operator of the 3rd
respondent (MTN) named Jeff, who captured my biometric and registered the SIM
card in my name and on my behalf.
“That in
July, 2019, I visited my business associate at his residence in Asaba and saw
him being taken away by officers of the 1st respondent (DSS). During the
process, they obtained information from him on who he communicated with last
over the phone and my associated announced that it was me.
“That
immediately afterwards, officers of the 1st respondent (DSS) arrested me and
led me to their vehicle, asking me to keep quiet and drove me to their offices
in Asaba, Delta, State.
“That after
a while, they disclosed that my arrest was ordered by the Presidency and I had
to be taken to Abuja for further interrogation on which basis they drove me to
Abuja by road the following day.”
The
applicant stated that he explained to the DSS how he bought the SIM card but he
was informed that the phone line, which was linked to his SIM card, was once
used by Hanan.
“They
thereafter labelled me a criminal for using a phone line that previously
belonged to the 2nd respondent,” he said.
Okolie alleged
that because of the personality involved, his case file was tagged, ‘First
Family’ and he was denied access to his lawyers.
The trader
claimed that his mother, who was not allowed to see him, developed high blood
pressure while he lost a N5m business deal.
He added,
“They also disclosed to me that the President wants to see me and my case was
boldly earmarked, First Family. Based on the foregoing, officers of the 1st
respondent (DSS) maintained that the 2nd respondent (Hanan) must be available
to clarify her allegations against me before I was allowed freedom from their
facilities.
“That the
2nd respondent (Hanan) was contacted several times by officers of the 1st
respondent (DSS) but the 2nd respondent (Hanan) declined making herself
available by claiming that she was busy with studies in the United Kingdom.”
Okolie asked
the court to declare that his long detention was an abuse of his fundamental
human rights.
He asked the
court to declare that the actions of the DSS contravened sections 35 and 34 of
the 1999 Constitution.
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