By TAIYE AGBAJE

Ms Egbogu-Onyeka Ogochukwu, the Managing Director of Dorigold Enterprises Ltd on Friday filed a N20 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Nigerian police and Police Service Commission (PSC) over alleged harassment.

The suit joined the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) as respondents.

Also named as respondents are Mrs Esther Animashaun, trading under the name and style of ELSH Luxury Design, and Miss Obiageli Nkama.

The suit, filed by her lawyer, Sylvanus E.O.B. Maliki, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1432/2026.

Ogochukwu is the first applicant while Dorigold Enterprises Ltd is the second applicant in the case.

The duo is accusing the respondents of allegations bordering on intimidation, harassment, threats of arrest and illegal raid on a residence in the Federal Capital Territory.

The applicants are, therefore, asking the court to declare that a series of actions allegedly carried out by police officers at the instance of private individuals violated their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights.

The applicants alleged that they had been subjected to repeated police invitations, threats of arrest and detention, and public embarrassment over a purely civil dispute.

They contended that the alleged actions infringed on their rights to the dignity of the human person, personal liberty, privacy, freedom of expression, freedom of movement, fair hearing, and freedom of association.

The applicants said these are guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They alleged that senior police officers were deployed to intervene in a private dispute arising from a failed personal relationship and financial transactions.

In the affidavit in support of the suit, deposed to by Daniel Ogboji, a litigation executive with the law firm of Sylvanus E.O.B. Maliki & Co. (Oxygen Chambers), the applicants gave grounds why their reliefs should be granted.

Ogboji averred that Ogochukwu was unable to personally depose to the affidavit because she was allegedly being “hunted” by police officers acting at the instance of the fifth and sixth respondents (Animashaun and Nkama).

According to the affidavit, the 1st applicant, Managing Director of Dorigold Enterprises Limited, stated that she met the fifth respondent through a mutual acquaintance at the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) in Abuja in March 2025.

She claimed that after learning the respondent was facing eviction from her rented apartment, she accommodated her and her children out of compassion.

She further alleged that she spent millions of naira assisting the fifth respondent, including providing ?2 million as a gift, ?4.15 million for rent, ?6 million for vehicle repairs, ?3 million for school fees and several other financial interventions.

She alleged that in spite of the assistance, Animashaun failed to secure accommodation, continued demanding money, and later left her residence with food items before driving away her vehicle and allegedly selling it to a third party without her consent.

She further claimed that after their relationship deteriorated, the fifth respondent threatened to use family members serving in the Nigeria Police Force to “deal with” her and force her out of Abuja.

According to the affidavit, on June 20, five police officers allegedly led by the 6th respondent stormed the applicant’s residence at House D38B, Alwadood Ali Lassa Boulevard, Kuchiyako Annex, Kuje, FCT at about 8:50 a.m. without a search warrant or court order.

They alleged that the officers searched the premises and removed several items, including a vehicle, international passports belonging to the applicant, her children, employees and clients.

They alleged that educational certificates, mobile phones, marriage and birth certificates, and other personal belongings were also removed.

The applicants further alleged that the officers publicly branded the first applicant a criminal in the presence of neighbours, thereby damaging her reputation.

They also claimed they had continued to receive invitations through WhatsApp messages and telephone calls from police officers threatening prolonged detention, forcing them to abandon both their residence and business premises out of fear.

The applicants maintained that the disagreement between the first applicant and the fifth respondent was purely civil in nature and accused the police of allowing themselves to be used to intimidate and harass them.

They averred that while the police possess constitutional powers to investigate criminal allegations, those powers must be exercised strictly in accordance with the constitution and not be deployed to settle private disputes.

In the accompanying written address, the applicants’ counsel argued that the respondents’ alleged conduct violated Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee the rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, among others.

The applicants, therefore, sought a declaration that the alleged invasion of their residence and seizure of their property were unconstitutional, unlawful and amounted to a gross violation of their fundamental rights.

They sought an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the respondents from further inviting, intimidating, arresting, detaining or harassing them over issues connected with the dispute except in accordance with due process and an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

They also sought an order compelling the police to return all items allegedly taken during the June 20 operation at their residence.

They sought an order directing the respondents, jointly and severally, to pay N20 billion as exemplary damages, among other reliefs.

The case is yet to be assigned to a judge. (NAN)

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