‘Unlawful detention’: 123 ‘suspicious-looking’ men from Jigawa sue Lagos govt

The one hundred and twenty three “suspicious-looking” men from Jigawa state have sued the Lagos state government for the “unlawful detention” and seizure of their motorcycles.

They were detained by the Lagos State Environment Sanitation and Special Offenses Taskforce on Friday.

The men were apprehended along Mosholashi road in Agege area of the state, having been trailed from toll gate as they traveled in a trailer with registration number Jigawa HJA-680XA.

They were later released by the state police command on Saturday after undergoing security checks.

Abdullahi Yakubu, one of the “suspicious looking men”, however, filed a suit at the federal high court, Lagos, on Monday, demanding N1 billion from the state government as a recompense for detaining them.

Other respondents in the suit include Zubairu Muazu, the Lagos state commissioner of police; Yinka Egbeyemi, chairman of the task force; and the office of the attorney-general of the state.

Represented by Abba Hikima and other lawyers in the suit with number FHC/L/CS/1519/19, the men said the action of the Lagos state government was in violation of their right to free movement in the country as guaranteed by section 41 of the 1999 constitution.

They demanded the payment of N1bn as damages, as well as the release of their seized motorcycles, the truck conveying them, their wears and any other goods belonging to them in custody.

“An order of this honourable court awarding the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) payable by the respondents jointly and severally to the applicants as reparation,” it read.

They also prayed the court to compel the state government to tender a public apology following their detention.

“An order of this honourable court directing the respondents to tender unreserved public apology to the applicants,” it added.