GOVERNOR BABATUNDE FASHOLA

Lagos, NBA Sue IG, AGF, Killer-DPO For N600m

The Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA have sued the Inspector General of Police, Attorney General of the Federation, and the ex-Divisional Police Officer, Pen Cinema Police Station over the alleged murder of Ademola Samuel Abe and injuring of four others by the police during the last fuel subsidy protest in Lagos.

Ademola was allegedly shot dead by the ex-DPO of Pen Cinema Police Station, Segun Fabunmi in January 2012 during a protest in Ogba, Lagos, while four others were also shot by the police and were seriously injured.

The case was filed at the High Court, Ikeja by the state government, with Adebayo Abe, the brother of the late Ademola as the applicant and the IGP, AG and CSP Segun Fabunmi as respondents.

The Director, Office of Public Defender, an arm of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Omotola Rotimi is leading three other top lawyers-Nurudeen Ogbara, Ikorodu NBA branch; Yinka Farounbi, Ikeja NBA branch and M.A. Ogunleye, Lagos NBA branch as client to the late Ademola in the suit.

In the application filed at the High Court, Ikeja, the applicant is seeking a declaration that every person in Nigeria has a right to life as guaranteed by section 33 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

The applicant is also seeking that the acts of the respondents and their agents in recklessly and maliciously shooting the applicant’s brother, Ademola Samuel Abe on 9 January, 2012 at Yaya Abatan road, Ogba, Lagos, thereby occasioning his death is a violation of his fundamental human right to life as guaranteed under section 33 of the constitution, Article 2 and 4 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Act 2004 and other International Instruments on Human Rights.

He is also seeking an order compelling the respondents to issue unreserved apologies to the applicant and his family for violation of the fundamental rights to life of the late Ademola in two national newspapers and electronic media.

The applicant is further seeking an order for payment of N200 million jointly and severally against the respondents in favour of the applicant as compensation for the violation of the fundamental human rights to life of Ademola Samuel Abe.

Also, in another case filed by the four other victims who were shot by the police during the protest, the sum of N400 million is being sought against the police as compensation.

The applicants are Chibuzor Odoh, Egbujor Samuel, Alimi Abubakar and Joy Monday while the respondents in the suit are the IGP, AGF and Segun Fabunmi.

The applicants are seeking an order that the sum of N100 million be awarded as damages to each of the 1st-4th applicants against the respondents jointly and severally for physical trauma, mental and emotional torture, bodily injuries, loss of income and employment as a result of the infringement of their fundamental right to life, association, dignity of human person and movement by the respondents.

An order, compelling the respondents to issue unreserved apologies to the applicants for violation of their fundamental rights in two national newspapers and electronic media is also being sought by the applicants.

Meanwhile, the remains of the late Ademola Abe, were interred this morning at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos.

The burial was proceeded by a three-day event with an artistes’ night which started on Monday which was followed by a candle light last night.

The procession took off from Yaya Abatan Junction to Akinfenwa, Aderinto and Aina Ajobo Streets, ending at Abeokuta Street.

The candle light procession was attended by the Chairman of Ifako/Ijaye Local Government Area, Dr. Oloruntoba Oke; the secretary to the local government, SLG, Dr. Mrs. Oke Osanyintolu; Supervisory Councillor for Works, Femi Babayemi and other eminent personalities in the area.

The corpse of the late Abe laid in state at Aderinto Street and Yaya Abatan/Aderinto Street where he was shot. An interdenominal service was also held at the same spot. Friends and family members, especially youths in the area wore black ‘T’ shirts with the inscription of the deceased.

The deceased’s friends demanded that justice should be done and the alleged killer of Abe should not go unpunished.

Speaking at the service, Dr. Oke reiterated that Abe must not die in vain, and his alleged killer must be brought to justice.

To immortalise the late Abe, his statue was unveiled at Yaya Abatan junction at the spot he was killed, which was named Ademola Abe junction.

Amid crying and wailing, the remains were committed to mother earth while the late Abe’s friends and youths in Ifako/Ijaiye vowed to continue to mourn him until justice is done.