Abuse Of Fundamental Human Rights: Woman Drags Uzodimma’s Aide, IGP To Court

By Ifeanyi Nwanguma

The Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Security, Mr. Damian Okoro, the Inspector General of Police and others have been draged to Federal High Court Owerri over alleged gross abuse of Fundamental Human Rights of one Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka, an indigene of Umuororonjo Community in Owerri municipal Council.

In an originating Motion with suit No FHC/Ow/ FHR/ 20/2022 instituted by the applicant, Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka with Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Imo State, DPO Owerri Urban Police Area Command, Inspector Augusta Ikedi, Traffic Unit Owerri Urban Police Station, Mr Damian Okoro ( rtd Commissioner of Police) and Constable Felix Udeh as respondents , Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka pray to Court for the enforcement of her fundamental Right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty and freedom of movement under section 34, 35 and 41 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and under Articles 5, 6 and 12 respectively of the African Charter on Human and People’s Right Act 1981.

Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka in the originating Motion sought a declaration that the 5th respondents ( Mr Damian Okoro) shall not hide under the police to use undue pressure and intimidation to harass and degrade her thereby using the said police officers to achieve an unlawful acts, by virtue of part xvII , 37 of the police Act 2020 edition.

She demanded the award of the sum of Ten million Naira ( #10,000,000) from the 5th respondent ( Damian Okoro) as general damages for infringing on her fundamental Human Rights.

Also she sought for an injunction order restraining the respondents from unwarranted invitations or arrest on the instant case as she is entitled to right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty and freedom of movement.

The applicant, Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka said she still lives in fear and shock because of the actions of the respondents who intimidated , trails and curtails her right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty and freedom of movement.

Mrs Joy Chinwendu Chukwuemeka in Affidavit in support of the originating Motion, narrated her ugly encounter with the 5th respondent ( Damian Okoro), ” on the 1st of September, 2022 as around 11 O’clock, I drove Honda Accord to buy some food stuffs in the market, I parked by the road side well cleared area without any state or local Government prohibitive orders restricting vehicles from parking there, after about five minutes, a security man on mufti that is the 6th respondent (Constable Felix Udeh) attached to the 5th Respondent( Damian Okoro) came to me asking me to remove my vehicle from where I was parking, although I was not parking anywhere around his compound, I politely told the security personnel that I will soon leave after buying things. After few minutes, the 6th respondent (Damian Okoro) came back fully dressed in police uniform armed with a riffle after receiving directives from the 5th respondent walked straight to me and fired live ammunition at my car severally bursting the two back tyres of my car. This happened live as I was right inside the car.”

” That shortly after I called my husband to come to my rescue as I was already traumatized thinking that I was going to be killed, my husband came immediately to help and as soon as my husband went out to buy tyres to replace the damaged ones, the 5th Respondent ( Damian Okoro) has given the 3rd and 4th respondents instructions to tow our vehicle to Owerri Urban Police State Traffic Unit where the 3rd respondent is the DPO in charge of the unit.

“That I went to the said Owerri Urban Police same day to find out why the vehicle was held when it was not obstructing road user’s in anyway, the 4th respondent gave me a sheet of paper to write statement of what happened and I did explained. After no much findings both the 3rd and 4th respondents directed me to go and apologize to the 5th respondent before I can get my husband’s vehicle released from their custody.”

“My husband and I made some efforts to reach the 5th Respondent ( Damian Okoro) to know why he has given instruction to unlawfully harass and intimidate me to the extent of instructing his Orderly to shoot at the vehicle I was inside it and keep our vehicle at the police station no positive results, we called friends and relations , tried negotiating with the 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents to get my freedom back, it yielded no result except that the 5th Respondent boasting of dealing with me”.

” Till today, our vehicle is still unlawfully parked at the station at the pleasure of the 5th respondent ( Damian Okoro) who feels it worth to deprive me my fundamental Rights of free movement and using of my property.”

” The 5th Respondent (Damian Okoro) is still using police officers to disturb my peace and torture me psychologically since those who are supposed to protect me are here harassing me to constantly report to the police station not minding my schedule of activities as Government worker.”

” Even as I make this oath, I have not recovered from the Stress the 5th respondent ( Damian Okoro) in particular has put me through. I m seriously down with illness just because he chooses to unlawfully intimidate me for no reason.”