Illegal Detention: 123 Jigawa Men Sue Lagos For N1bn
Irked with the way they were treated by the Lagos state Police command, 123 men from Jigawa State who were detained for some hours on Friday have sued the state government, Commissioner of Police, Chairman of the task force, Mr. Yinka Egbeyemi and the Attorney-General of Lagos State for one billion Naira, noting that it was unlawful to detain and seize their motorcycles.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana in an earlier statement said that a truck, with Registration Number JIGAWA HJA-680-XA, conveying the male passengers and motorcycles was on Friday, intercepted and searched.
He said that the vehicle and passengers were searched but nothing incriminating was found.
“They were profiled with a view to ascertaining who they were, where they come from, their background and their mission in Lagos. “They all came from Jigawa State, North West Region of Nigeria and are mostly artisans, commercial motorcyclists and traders.
“Some of them are already based in Lagos with their families while others are coming for the first time. They are in the state in pursuit of greener pasture,” Elkana said.
They were released after clearing them.
But Abdullahi Yakubu on behalf of himself and the other men filed a suit Federal High Court, Lagos demanding N1bn reparation from the state government for profiling and detaining them, it was gathered.
In the suit with number FHC/L/CS/1519/19, the 123 men demanded the payment of N1bn as damages.
