By Our correspondent
A Nnewi High Court has awarded N25.5 million in damages to Hon. Barr. Nze Okonkwo Sabastine Ifeanyi, a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, over the breach of his fundamental rights by Chimezie Obi, the former Transition Committee Chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Council.
Delivering judgement in Suit No HN/Misc 87/2023 OKONKWO SABASTINE IFEANYI Vs EKWUSIGO LGA & 5 ORS. Justice Denis Maduechesi, described the actions of Chimezie Obi and his vigilante team as “barbaric and unlawful”.
The court awarded N25 million in damages and N500,000 in costs against Chimezie Obi and Ekwusigo Local Government Council.
The incident occurred on a day when the former lawmaker was traveling to Onitsha between 10 and 11 am.
At Nkwo Oraifite, he encountered Chimezie Obi and his vigilante team, who were enforcing sanitation day.
Despite introducing himself as a lawyer and former House of Assembly member, Obi ignored him and ordered his team to shoot at his car, puncturing the tyres.
The former lawmaker was forcibly taken to the Area Command in Oraifite and detained for the entire day.
He subsequently filed a lawsuit against Obi and Ekwusigo Local Government Council alleging violation of his fundamental rights and seeking damages.
Speaking with our correspondent after the judgement was delivered, Okonkwo said, “On the 24th day of June 2023, I was going to Onitsha between the hours of 10 and 11 am. At Nkwo Oraifite I met the purported local government transition committee chairman with some men of vigilante services Ekwusigo LGA trying to enforce sanitation day.
“I stopped and introduced to him myself as a lawyer, Ozo title person from Oraifite and former House of Assembly member. He ignored me and I drove off. Unknown to me he ordered his vigilante boys to shoot me.
” I heard a sound of gun but didn’t know that they shot my car tyre. I kept on moving and at the highway going to Onitsha my car started wobbling. I stopped and noticed that my car tyre was punctured by bullet. I decided to turn and go to police station to make a complaint.
“On turning to the other side of the highway to go to the police station, the tyre was flattened and could not move well. I stopped and tried to change the tyre, immediately I saw the mad man with the vigilante men speeding to meet me. Immediately I saw them I ordered the occupant of my car to enter inside the car and we locked ourselves inside. He came and asked us to come down from the car.
“I didn’t want to come out for fear of futher molestation. He ordered the vigilante to shoot the remaining tyres and they obeyed. When they shot the 2nd tyre, I came down from the car to confront him. He ordered the occupant of my car to enter their van.
He obeyed and he also asked me to enter the van I refused and they forced me into their van and took us to the Area command Oraifite and detained us the whole day.
Continuing, the lawyer said,”I took out this action in court, claiming for a declaration that the conduct of the said Chimezie Obi transition Committee chairman of the local government and who is an agent of Ekwusigo LGA is unjustifiable, unconstitutional and a violation of my right to respect of my personal dignity as guaranteed and protected by section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also a violation of my right to personal liberty under section 35(1) also of the Constitution.
“I asked for N100, 000,000 (One hundred Million Naira) damages against him, local government and the police but the court awarded 25,000,000 damages only against him and N500, 000 cost against him.
