DAILY COURIER - The Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa has awarded N300 million as damages against the Department of State Services (DSS) over illegal arrest and detention of a youth activist, Comrade Collins Opumie for over two years.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ebiyon Duke Charlie gave the ruling after indicting the DSS and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) for detaining Opumie illegally.
In his ruling on suit number YHC/324/2022 on Monday, Justice Charlie declared that the claimant was forcefully imprisoned and should be awarded the sum for compensation.
Speaking after the ruling, the counsel to the claimant, Ebipreye Sese Esq. said, although two accusations were brought before the court including false imprisonment and malicious persecution, the court successfully upheld false imprisonment while malicious persecution was disagreed on.
Sese however said it was still a win-win situation for the claimant.
“I’m believing strongly that justice is seemed to have been served. I appreciate the judiciary. As a matter of fact, the judiciary system in Nigeria is one that we can rely on in the dispensation of justice, and that, we have achieved today.
Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in a gestapo style and was physically and mentally tortured.
He also accused the DSS of tying and throwing him into the booth of a vehicle before he was forcefully taken to Abuja like a common criminal without the knowledge of his family or access to medical care.