Two of the six Okuama community leaders from Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, arrested by the military last month, have sued the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services at the Federal High Court in Warri, seeking N200m in damages.
The claimants, James Oghorokor and Dennis Okugbaye, in their separate suits filed by their counsel, Malcolm Omirhobo, Akpokona Omafuaire and others, are challenging their arrest and subsequent detention without charging them to court or allowing their counsel access.
It was gathered that Prof Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mr James Oghorokor, Dennis Okugbaye, Pa Anthony Ahwemuria and Mrs Rita Akata were arrested by soldiers between August 18 and 20, 2024 and had remained in unknown detentions since.
In Suit No: FHC/WR/CS/84/2024 between James Oghorokor and the Nigerian Army and two others, the applicant is demanding N100m for his illegal arrest and detention without trial.
Also, in Suit No: FHC/WR/CS/85/2024 between Dennis Okugbaye and the Nigerian Army and two others, the applicant is demanding N100m for his illegal arrest and detention without trial.
The applicants, in the originating summons of the separate suits, prayed the court for a declaration that the invasion of their homes without due process of law was a flagrant violation of their fundamental rights to privacy and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
They also prayed the court that their arrest by the servants of the respondents on August 19, 2024, without a warrant, their continued detention and denial of access to their lawyers and family members and the refusal to charge them to a court of law since was a flagrant violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights to personal liberty and, therefore illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
They further prayed to the court that their continued detention of the Applicants since 19/8/2025 to date and thereby restraining their movement without the backing of law is a violation of the applicants’ fundamental rights to their freedom of movement and therefore illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
The applicants pleaded with the court to compel the respondents to forthwith unconditionally release them from detention.
They asked the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their servants, agents and/or privies from further acts of violating their fundamental human rights.
They requested the sum of N100m damages each against the respondents for their fundamental rights on personal liberty, privacy, the dignity of their human persons and rights to freedom of movement.