Court orders naval officers to pay N20m compensation

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(Nigeria) An Abuja High Court on Tuesday ordered Mr Olatunji Ayodele and three other Nigerian Navy officers to pay  N20 million as compensation over unlawful torture of one Mary Omoyele. The judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, in her Judgement, said that the detention and dehumanisation of the applicant by the respondents were unlawful.
Banjoko also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further arresting, detaining and threatening the applicant.
She said that if there was any case against the applicant, it should be channelled to the appropriate authority for action.
The judge described the action as a violation of the fundamental human right of the applicant.
She said the officers' action violated the 1999 Constitution which guaranteed the right and dignity of human person.
The court frowned at the inhuman treatment meted on the applicant, noting that the applicant was a civilian and casual worker with the Nigerian Navy.
She said that if there was any case against the applicant, such action must be channelled to the Nigerian Police or any court of law for prosecution.
She, however, dismissed a claim of sexual harassment made by the applicant against the respondents.
It will be recalled that counsel to the applicant, had filed an application dated April 27, 2012, praying for special reliefs from the court.
The application sought leave of the court to declare that the sexual harassment, detention, torture, dehumanising and cruelty visited by the respondents were illegal, wrong and unjust.
 Omoyele also sought an order of the court to award N500 million as damages for the horrific injuries, cruelty, dehumanising, sexual harassment and suffering inflicted on the complainant by the respondents.
The court, however, struck out the name of the Attorney-General of the Federation, who was the fifth defendant in the matter, following reasons advanced by his counsel, Mr Kennedy Nwosu.
Other parties in the suit are Military Pensions Board and the Nigerian Navy.

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