By Simon Ujah, Kaduna
Federal high sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday awarded N10 million as damages in favour of Mohammed Ibrahim Gashash, son of a first republic Minister, for violating his right by Nigeria Army and State Security Service, SSS.
Alhaji Gashash who is the President of National Tranquility Movement and kaduna based business man had dragged the Nigeria Army and the SSS to Court for unlawful arrest and detention.
Gashash told federal high court in kaduna that he was arrested in the dead of night, his house searched and detained for an extensive period of weeks by Nigeria army and SSS without any arrest or search warrant.
When the case came up for ruling on Wednesday, the Federal high court judge justice ZB Abubakar held that the case of violation of the rights of appellant to personal liberty as well as his privacy was established against the respondent.
The court therefore stated that the respondent be held responsible for violating the right of the applicant and ruled that the sum of N10 million be paid the applicant as damages for violating his rights by the army and Co.
In an interview, counsel to appellant barrister Umar Magaji Na Rimi told journalists that “The court had, in its last sitting, fixed Wednesday for ruling over the matter.”
Although, the counsel representing Nigeria Army barrister N. Nanchang did not speak to any journalists on the ruling.
Counsel to appellant, Magaji Na Rimi said, “The court had, in its last sitting fixed today Wednesday for ruling over the matter.
“And by the ruling of the court, its has established the violation of the applicant rights to personal liberty as well as, his privacy…..
“The court said that the respondents should be held responsible for violating the fundamental rights of the applicant and its went further to awards 10 million naira as damages against the respondents jointly.
On the next line of action, the Counsel said, “it’s for the parties to take stapes in seeing what was awarded, unless if the respondents are going to apply against the ruling of the court”, adding that “we are very satisfied with the ruling and the court for been justice.”
Also speaking to newsmen at the court premises with excitement, the victim, Gashash said, ”It was the triumphant of truth. As a matter of fact, because many people are been victimized for no just course, but in most cases, people became afraid even to raise their voices by coming to court and God gave us this victory, it is a victory for the people.”
“It is another indication that whoever is been victimized in this manner or his personal rights been trampled in same way, at least, one would have the courage to come forward and seek for justice”, he said.
According to him, similar incidents of unwarranted wrongful arrest and detention have happened to a many people, some of whom did not survived it.
“It is good that it happened. I was arrested on no grounds at all, in the dead of the night without any arrest warrant. My house was search without search warrant.
