A lawyer to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor,
has filed a suit against the Nigerian Police Force at a Federal High
Court in Awka, Anambra State, over an alleged invasion of his house
and killing of four occupants.
Ejiofor is also the lawyer to Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader who fled
Nigeria after being granted bail in a treason trial.
Mr Ejiofor’s house in Anambra State was raided and razed by the police
on December 2, which led to the death of at least four persons
including two police officers.
The police said they were in the house to investigate a reported case
of abduction and to arrest suspects when they were attacked.
The police named the two officers killed in the violence as Joseph
Akubo and Oliver Abbey.
The police also declared Mr Ejiofor wanted.
Mr Ojiofor’s suit
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/135/19, Mr Ejiofor, who filed the suit
through his lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, Is asking the court for an order
to compel the police to pay him N2 billion as compensation and damages
for the burning of his house and shooting of his aged mother at his
Oraifite hometown in Anambra State on December 2.
The defendants in the suit include the Police Service Commission,
Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Area Commander,
and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) heading a police division in
Anambra State.
Others are the Nigerian Army, Chief of Army Staff, Federal Republic of
Nigeria and Attorney General of the Federation.
The lawyer, in the suit made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday,
said he has been a lawyer for over 17 years. He said he wants the
court to restrain the respondents, their agents, and privies from
further harassing, intimidating, threatening his life and destroying
his house and other properties.
Ojiofor further asked for an order of the court stopping the
respondents from threatening him with arrest and torture and to compel
them to retract the public notice made on December 3. He also asked
for an order compelling the police to tender an apology to him in five
major newspapers.
In a 37-paragraph affidavit in support of his fundamental rights
enforcement suit, the lawyer claimed that he was in his Oraifite
hometown in Anambra State between November 25 and December 1, for the
burial of his late brother, Louis Ejiofor.
He said on December 2, his house was still filled with relatives,
friends and well-wishers, helping him to evacuate tents, chairs and
other materials used for the burial ceremony when a group of 16
policemen allegedly invaded his house.
