Justice Iniekinimi Abraham Uzaka of the Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa yesterday frowned at the absence of the counsel to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the suit files by the Ijaw Right Activist, Comrade Collins Opumie over his alleged two years illegal detention in the secret detention centre of the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
According to the plaintiff, Comrade Collins True man Opumie, the operatives of the DSS on the allege prompting of the Security department of the NOAC, falsely accused him of being a threat to the company and was illegally arrested and detained in an underground detention facilities in Abuja for two years with access to medical facilities and family.
Comrade Opumie, in the suit numbered YC/324/2022, is demanding for the sum of N9 billion in damages and praying the court to declare that his arrest, torture and subsequent detention without proper food and medical attention and access to family members for two years is a gross violation of his fundamental right to dignity as a person.
Justice Iniekinimi Abraham Uzaka, at the hearing of the substantive suit, was informed by the Counsels of the Nigerian Police Force and the Plaintiff, Ebipreye Sese, that the Counsels to the DSS and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) were absent.
While the Counsel to the DSS informed the Court that their absence was due to urgent national engagement in Abuja, the Counsel to the NAOC did not tender any explanation to the court.
Justice Uzaka however adjourned the suit till May 4th for hearing.
Speaking at end of Court sitting,Counsel to the Claimant, Ebipreye Sese, noted that despite the adjournment justice will be dispense by the Court.
According to him, “Ordinaryly, today was for mention and this is the very first time the matter has come before the Court for proceedings to commence but it was quite unfortunate the the DSS advanced a letter for adjournment requesting that the Counsel to DSS has a national assignment and by virtue of that proceedings could not commence. So the matter has been adjourned to the fourth day of May in order for proceedings to commence.”
” As a matter of fact, the 1st defendant is Agip and they have not made any attempt to respond and have not even appear in Court. They have been duely served and I believe in the next adjourned date they will be in Court for justice to be done.”
The Counsel to the 3rd defendant, the Nigerian Police, SP C.S.E Ebete said that he was comfortable with the next adjourned date.
Also speaking to newsmen shortly after the Court proceedings, the National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe expressed dismay how oil companies deliberately undermine the people of the Niger Delta in carrying out their activities.
Ekerefe further said the Ijaw Youth Council will continue to fight against injustice metted out to any Ijaw sons and daughters, adding that Opumie case is one amongst so many cases of Ijaw youths that have been illegally arrested and detained and nothing has been done.
He expressed dissatisfaction the that Agip is handling the matter with levity, stressing that they have been served with the Court proceedings and expressed the hope that by the next adjourned date Agip will appear in Court.
He stated that ” For us it quite unfortunate that the NAOC that is operating in the Niger Delta region have decided to use their platforms to undermine and carry out unimaginable injustice on the people of Niger Delta region.
” In 2016 Comrade Collins Opumie’s company was amongst the three companies that was shortlisted to bid for an AGO supply contract in Agip. And unfortunately the security manager of Agip called him on phone to negotiate terms because is an Ijaw youths who believes in the capacity of his company to carry out that job he insisted on doing the job. Few days after he was whisked by masked security men away in a justapo manner to a DSS cell in Abuja for over 2years.
” Because we don’t believe in taken laws into our hands, the best approach to resolving this matter is through the court and so we are here in solidarity believing strongly that the Court will adjudicate justice on this matter so that Opumie will regain back all he has lost during the process of his incarceration and we are demanding that reparation be paid to Opumie.
” The Ijaw Youths have been mobilized from all the nooks and crannies of Ijaw land and it’s clans to be part of this proceedings. We are particularly interested in this matter because we very sad with the turn of events, you can’t continue to carry out oil exploration activities in our land and even when opportunities are given to our people you take those opportunities without taken recourse to lay down procedures.
” This a very sad reality, as Ijaw youth council we will continue to demand, we will continue to put pressure, we will continue to fight against injustice and what has clearly played out is an injustice to an Ijaw man. No body will be happy that even without committing any crime someone will be whisked away by overzealous security agents to Abuja and taken to their facilities.
” We believe that the best way this matter can be resolved is the law court and Ijaw people are not happy that up till this moment Agip is still handling this matter with levity. The lawyers have served them and we are expecting to see them in court but up to this moment they are not in court.”
” So we are believing in the next adjourned date Agip will send their representative or participate fully. We have cc confidence in the Judiciary that justice will be dispensed and Comrade Opumie will regain all he has lost during his incarceration’
