* Seek N1bn for damages
The 123 indigenes of Jigawa State who were detained by the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) have dragged the Lagos State Government before the Federal High Court.
They described the arrest, detention and seizure of their motorcycles as unlawful.
The men therefore want the court to compel the state government to award them N1billion damages.
They also pray the court for an order directing the state to tender unreserved public apology to them.
Other respondents in the suit are the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Chairman of the task force, Mr. Yinka Egbeyemi, as well as the state Attorney-General.
The men were intercepted along Moshalashi Road, Agege alongside 48 motorcycles in a truck, which was coming from Jigawa State but were later released
The arrest had sparked a heated debate on social media over the manner in which the men were paraded and interrogated in front of the media.
However, one of the men, Abdullahi Yakubu on behalf of others yesterday filed a suit at the Federal High Court demanding N1 billion reparation from the state government for profiling and detaining them.
In the suit with number FHC/L/CS/1519/19, the 123 men demanded the payment of N1billion as damages.
They asked for a declaration by the court that the prevention of the applicants numbering 123 from moving into Lagos State of Nigeria by the state government without prima facie incriminating evidence against the applicants constitute a flagrant violation of the 123 men’s right to move freely throughout Nigeria as guaranteed by section 41 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
They also want the court to declare that their detention in the absence of prima facie incriminating evidence against them constitutes a violation of their right to personal liberty protected by section 35 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The 123 men represented by Mr. Abba Hikima and other lawyers, also prayed the court to mandate the respondents to release to their seized motorcycles numbering 48, the truck conveying them, their wears and any other goods belonging to them in custody.
