A
Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed February 27 to hear the
fundamental rights suit filed by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos
State Chapter against the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service
(NCS) and eight others over alleged assault on one of its members, reports
ITRealms.
The
NUJ, Lagos chapter, ITRealms recalls had filed the case against the defendants
on behalf of a Badagry-based journalist, Otunba Yomi Olomofe for the
enforcement of his fundamental rights to life, dignity of the human person and
freedom of expression and the press following the severe assault and beating he
suffered in hands of the customs and some suspected hoodlums allegedly hired by
the custom officials.
ITRealms also gathered that when the matter came up on Tuesday for mention before
Justice A. Anka, though none of the defendants was in court nor represented,
however, the counsel representing the plaintiff, Adelayo Banjo of Jiti Ogunye
chambers informed the court that the defendants are yet to be served on the
processes of the case.
Subsequently
the court fixed February 27 for the hearing of the case while directing that
all processes in the case be served on the defendants. The Lagos State Chapter
of NUJ had filed a N500 million criminal suit against NCS, over the brutal
assault of Olomofe, at Seme border post of the NCS last year. The NUJ is asking
for N500 million as special and exemplary damages for the violation of the
applicant’s rights.
The
applicant, in the suit, asked the court for a declaration that the beating
meted out to him by the defendants, who inflicted bodily and internal injuries
on him on June 25, 2015, in the premises of the NCS, Seme, was “capable of
infringing on his right to life as guaranteed by Section 33 (1) of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Article 4 of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
The
applicant prayed the court to declare that the beating in the course of
discharging his professional duties and obligations, constituted an
infringement on his rights to freedom of expression and the press as guaranteed
by the 1999 Constitution.
Correspondent/GEE
Correspondent/GEE
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