A Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa has ordered the Department of State Security (DSS) to pay N300 million in damages for the illegal arrest and detention of youth activist Collins Opumie. The court ruling, delivered on Monday, came after Opumie filed a suit in 2022 seeking redress for his detention, which lasted over two years following a petition by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
The case, identified as Suit Number YHC/324/2022, saw Opumie demanding N9 billion in damages. In his ruling, the presiding judge, Ebiyon Charlie, determined that Opumie had been forcefully imprisoned and awarded him N300 million in compensation.
Opumie expressed satisfaction with the judgment, despite not receiving the full amount he sought. He emphasized that his rights had been violated, and he was denied medical attention during his incarceration. “I am happy even when all our expectations were not met. I thank all those who stood by me, the traditional rulers, and my lawyer, for standing for the truth,” he stated.
In his statement of claims, Opumie accused the DSS in Yenagoa of abducting him in a Gestapo-like manner at NAOC’s behest. He described being physically and mentally tortured, tied up, thrown into the boot of a vehicle, and transported to Abuja without his family’s knowledge or access to medical care. He argued that his arrest, torture, and subsequent detention without proper food, medical attention, or access to family members constituted false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.
Opumie also sought an injunction to prevent the defendants from further harassment or attempts to arrest and detain him at NAOC’s instigation.
The judgment marks a significant victory for Opumie and highlights issues of unlawful detention and abuse of power by security agencies in Nigeria.