Reports reaching us from Akwa Ibom reveal a newspaper vendor has demanded a huge financial compensation from a senator due to his abuse of fundamental human rights under circumstances he terms demeaning and injurious.
Mr. Ndifereke Asuquo Etim
A newspaper vendor in Akwa Ibom State Mr. Ndifereke Asuquo Etim has demanded the sum of N50 million and an unreserved apology from a one-time Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Anietie Okon as compensation for assault and defamation of character.
A letter by the vendor's lawyer Ndianabasi Udofia to the Senator warned that failure to accede to the demands within 14 days shall attract appropriate legal steps in a court of competent jurisdiction to remedy the wrong done his client.
The lawyer recalled that on 23rd, September 2015 at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Senator wantonly abused the fundamental right to human dignity by publicly maltreating his client (the vendor).
He said the vendor was beaten black blue, humiliated and ordered orderlies to strip him unclad on the spurious, malicious, and unfounded allegation that his client stole the senator's money.
“After beating our client to a coma, he was stripped unclad to recover your alleged missing cash. Only N600.00 was found on our client, money he realized from selling his papers.
“You have not deemed it fit to apologise to our client till now despite the humongous cash our client has spent from good Samaritans to receive medical attention as a result of your assault on him which left him partially blind and deaf hence affected his petty vendor business.
The senator is yet to officially respond to Etim's allegations.