Court Awards N100Million Damage Against Police For Killing Man In Port Harcourt

Justice C.D Green of the Nchia High Court, in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday awarded the sum of one hundred million naira against the Nigeria Police Force and two others over the killing of one Nte Nwokolu Nte on 24 September, 2021 by Inspector Emeka.

Inspector Emeka is attached to the Anti-kidnapping unit of Rivers State Police Command.

The verdict followed a fundamental rights suit filed by his daughter, Godgift Nte Nwokolu.

The Judge declared that the action of the Respondent (Nigeria Police Force) in the shooting of the applicant’s father was against the fundamental right to life of the applicant’s father under section 33, 34 and 35 of 1999 constitution and also article 4,5 and 7 of African Charter and Human peoples right ratification and enforcement act 1990.

The court went further to rule that any institution holding the corpse of late Nte Nwokolu should release it to the family.

The court granted the last prayer of the applicant by ordering the cost of 100 million naira to be paid to the family of the applicant as the act of shooting and killing the applicant’s father contravenes his constitutional right to life.

Obaraianenu Nwokolu, Counsel to the applicant explained to newsmen that the judgment by the court is an opportunity for all citizens to know that they can seek redress in court if the Police or any other individual abuse their right.

He further explained that on 24 September, 2021 men of Anti-kidnapping unit Miniokoro came to Njuru community of Agbonchia clan in Eleme LGA to effect arrest of some persons, shot and killed the applicant’s father who was sitting down and watching like every other persons.

He added that the Anti-kidnapping unit of the Police on seeing that the man is dead, shot sporadically into the air and carted away late Nte’s corpse.

He disclosed that the family wrote a petition to the commissioner of police, who minuted it to the Anti-kidnapping unit to investigate the veracity of the claims made by the deceased family and report back.

He said rather than investigating the incident, the unit kept on threatening the family which warranted the applicant to file action in court.