Imo Ex-governor, Okorocha Sues Malami, EFCC, Demands N1bn Damages Over Abuja Home Invasion

Rochas Okorocha

Rochas Okorocha, a former Imo governor, has sued the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights, a report by SaharaReporters has shown.

Operatives of the EFCC had arrested Okorocha last Tuesday, after over six hours of laying siege to his Maitama Abuja home. Dozens of protesters had stormed his Abuja home to protest against the siege to arrest him.

The arrest followed an alleged refusal by the former governor to make himself available for trial.

EFCC said it needed to forcibly arrest Okorocha after he jumped an administrative bail granted to him by the commission.

It also said he evaded service of court papers in his trial at an Abuja court on charges of conspiracy, stealing, and laundering N2.9 billion of Imo State funds.

Okorocha, in a suit filed through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) told the court that on May 24, the respondents invaded his home in Abuja, depriving him and members of his family access to their private and family life while surrounding his apartment with heavy armed men.

He prayed the court to declare the action as “illegal, null and void”.

Okorocha also prayed the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from arresting, detaining or keeping him in custody.

The senator asked the court to order the respondents to pay him N1 billion as general damages and apologise to him publicly.

The court document read, “A DECLARATION that the siege over the house of the Applicant, at No. 3 Nyasa Close Mississippi, Of Ontario Crescent Abuja, by the officers and men of the 1st Respondentson 24th May, 2022, without any legal justification whatsoever, thereby denying the Application his Constitutional rights to private family life is unconstitutional, illegal, wrongful and a flagrant abuse of the fundamental rights of the Applicant contrary to Section 33, 35, 37,38 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended).

“2. A DECLARATION that the seige over the house of the Applicant at No. 3 Nyasa Close, Mississippi, Off Ontario Crescent, Abuja, by the officers and men of the 1st Respondent on the the 24th May, 2022, without any legal justification whatsoever, thereby depriving the Applicant, freedom of movement and also denying the Applicant’s family members, political colleagues, friends and well wishers access to the Applicant, is illegal, wrongful, unconstitutional and amounts to an abuse of the fundamental rights of the Applicant as provided for under Section 34 and 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article II of the African Charter on Human and People’s Right (Ratification and Enforcement) Acts, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. 

“3. A Declaration that the attempt on the life of the Applicant, by the 1st Respondent through the officers working under them, who shot sporadically at the Applicant’s compound broke into the Applicant’s home through the roof top all the way into his bedroom and immediately apprehended the Applicant’s family members phones, including that of the Applicant on the 24th May, 2022, is illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconscionable, unconstitutional and constitute a flagrant and reckless violation and or threat to violate the Applicant’s right to life, as provided for under, Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as altered).”