A Protocol officer working with Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Mr Daniel Cobham and two others have sued the Nigerian for alleged illegal detention.
The trio said that they were taking the Navy to court over abuse of their fundamental human rights for arresting and detaining them in a Gestapo manner for more than 80 days.
DAILY POST gathered that the trio were arrested on December 9th 2017 at their residence, 7 Mesembe Avenue off Jebs Road in Calabar South local government area of Cross River.
In a suit which was filed against the Chief of Naval staff, Defence headquarters Abuja, the Commander N.N.S Anansa as well as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Calabar ,with Suit No: FHC/CA/FHR/21/2018, their counsel demanded their immediate release to the police without further delay.
The Counsel to the victims, Barr Fidelis Onyebueke said the arrest and detention of Mr. Daniel and others was unconstitutional and illegal, adding that they have been kept incommunicado for about three months.
“The continuous detention of Mr. Cobham and others incommunicado from their family since the 9th of December is unconstitutional, null and void as it is against the law; they should be produced and released to the police or other prosecuting authority for the purpose of prosecuting them if they have committed any offence.
“The elder sister, Alice Asuquo said the wife received a phone call from her husband, Daniel a day after he was arrested that he was being detained at the Naval Base Calabar and since his arrest the Navy has refused to either release him, grant him bail or hand him over to the police, despite several letters that has been written to the Navy, Daniel has remained incarcerated for more than two months,” he said.
The elder sister to Daniel, Madam Alice Asuquo said the way his brother was taken away by men of Nigerian Navy was really uncalled for, adding that they invaded their house at about 3: 00 am on the 9th of December 2017 and took his brother and since then they only heard from him through the wife whom he called the following day after he was unlawfully arrested.
“We have not heard from my brother again, the only thing we know is that he spoke to the wife on the 10th, being the following day after his arrest and he told her that he was at the Naval Base in Calabar and since his arrest nothing further apart from that phone call has been heard from him, we don’t know if he is still alive, we don’t know if he is healthy, we have been left in the dark because he is incommunicado till date,” she lamented.
The matter which is being presided over, by Hon Justice I. E. Ekwo has been fixed for hearing on the 22nd of March 2018.
Efforts to get the Navy Public Relations Officer comment on the matter proofed abortive but a Navy source hinted that “Nobody will comment as the matter is already in the court.”
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