Following the illegal arrest of the founder of Sahara Reporters Omoyele Sowore last week by the Nigeria Police, businessman Ned Nwoko has been slammed with an N200m lawsuit.
Sowore was arrested on Thursday, 24th February 2022 outside the Court of Appeal in the Federal Capital Territory on the alleged instruction of businessman Ned Nwoko following the latter’s complaint of defamation by Sowore’s online news website Sahara Reporters.
Sowore, who was released the same day, has now slammed Nwoko over the violation of his human rights and the improper use of powers by the Nigerian police.
A statement by Barrister Tope Tomekun revealed that the ‘court process shall be served on the respondents i.e the Nigeria Police Force, the IG of Police, the Commissioner of Police for FCT and Hon. Ned Nwoko who are respondents.’
The statement titled ‘Sowore Slams N200m Lawsuit Against Businessman Ned Nwoko and Nigeria Police for Illegal Arrest’ reads below;
Wẹ have commenced the process of slamming 200million naira damages fundamental rights enforcement suit in the federal high court Abuja on behalf of Omoyele Sowore against the acclaimed billionaire politician, Hon. Ned Nwoko and the police authorities for the illegal arrest of Omoyele Sowore at the Court of Appeal premises on the 24th of February 2022 and for the improper use of powers by the Nigeria police, to lay siege on the entire Court of Appeal for Omoyele Sowore on the prompting of one billionaire.
Hopefully tomorrow, the court process shall be served on the respondents i.e the Nigeria Police Force, the IG of Police, the Commissioner of Police for FCT and Hon. Ned Nwoko who are respondents.
We need to come together to interrogate the power of money in our policing system. Just few weeks ago the Hon. Ned Nwoko used the police to arrest Hauwa Saidu Mohammed, àlsò known as Jaruma, for mere social media banters and had her detained for 3 days on the same allegation of defamation, like he is alleging against Sowore now.
For how long will this continue?
-Barrister Tope Tomekun
