Ex-gov Ayade’s aide drags C’River SSG, others to Court over unlawful detention, demands N5bn compensation

From Ene Asuquo,Calabar

The special Adviser to immediate past governor of Cross River, Ben Ayade Oscar Ofuka, has dragged the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Anthony Owan Enoh, Security adviser to governor  Bassey Otu, retired Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono, Secretary, Cross River State Cocoa Allocation Committee, Mr. Amba Ogar and six others for sponsoring his unlawful arrest and detention by Nigeria police.

Mba Ukweni (SAN), who is a Counsel to Ofuka disclosed this to The Nations News Nigeria reporter while giving an update on the cocoa rift in Cross River State during a telephone conversation in Calabar.

Ukweni claimed that his client dragged appointees of the state  government to court in other to seek re-dress over the unlawful arrest and detention, since July 8,2024,  where he had been tormented, dehumanized and subjected to all sort of abuse, locked up at different police cells including 245 Battalion military cell at Afi Barracks Ikom,Cross River State for just no reason.

Ukweni  stated that such attitude amounts to gross violation of Ofuka’s fundamental human right stressing that as he speaks Ofuka who had been taken to different medical centres has a problem with his neck.

 In application for the enforcement of fundamental human rights  to life, Ofuka  is set to claim  damages of N5billion legal suit against the respondents; the matter had been fixed for hearing on August 22,2024 .

In suit No. HC/87F/24 after the court granted him bail; Ofuka accused the respondents (officials of Cross River State government of using their offices corrosively, tormenting him without justifiable reason.

The suit was filed by human rights lawyer Mba Ukweni (SAN) on behalf of Ofuka against the Secretary to State Government ( SSG), State Security Adviser and other (respondents ) after Ofuka was detained on allegation of murder and conspiracy by Nigeria police.

Ukweni alleged  that Ofuka had been  framed up by appointees of state government because of a matter that was pending at the Effraya High court in Etung local government Area of the state where it is suspected that Ofuka  might defeat the respondents who are appointees of government.

Ukweni said, “The first  six respondents are worried about the progress of the investigation by the force headquarters, which will certainly reveal the falsity of the petition written by the second respondent”. The lawyer maintained.

Ofuka who is recuperating at the police medical hospital Càlabar, who spoke with our Correspondent in an emotion laden voice  claimed, he could remember is that he felled down  from the vehicle, hit his head on the floor and was being dragged by security officials stressing that he was latter told by family members that he was in coma.

“I was told that they rushed me to Arubah diagnostics medical centre, that’s all I could remember,”Ofuka stressed.