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Court orders
Army Chief, IG to produce 41 youths
Newsdiaryonline Tue April 12,2011
A Benin City
High Court
presided over by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba has ordered the Chief
of Army Staff and Inspector General of Police, to produce the 41
youths alleged to be members of the Owan East Local Government
Neighbourhood Watch
who were arrested by soldiers on April 2, 2011 for alleged
electoral offences. The youths had filed a suit in which they
deny any wrongdoing and claimed N1.5 billion as damages.
In an application filed by Usunobun Evbayiro, the applicants
complained that they had not received needed medical attention
and that keeping them in custody in far away Abuja for over 10
days has made it difficult for their family members and lawyers
to have access to cater to their welfare.
They further complained that they have not been charged to court
and feared that they could be detained in Abuja indefinitely.
Their counsel prayed the court to order the Chief of Army Staff
and the Inspector general of Police to produce the applicants in
court before the judge and show cause why they should not be
released.
In granting the application, the court ordered that the
applicants be produced on April 13, 2011 and restrained the
Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police from
taking any further steps in the matter until the determination
of the case filed by the applicants in court. The case was
adjourned to April 13, 2011.
The 41 youths were arrested during the build up to the botched
election of April 2, 2011
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