Jailed Major Sues Army, Bank N2bn Over Alleged Unlawful Freezing Of Account
LAGOS SEPTEMBER 28TH (NEWSRANGERS)-A Major in the Nigeria Army, Akeem Aderogba Oseni, has slammed a N2 billion suit against the Nigeria Army and the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) for allegedly freezing his bank account without a court order.
The Army Officer, in the suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, wants the court to order the two respondents to pay him the sum of N16.6 million, being the amount allegedly carted away from his private apartment, along with other valuable properties.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1104/2021, was filed by his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) for the enforcement of his fundamental rights to own moveable and immovable property, right to dignity and right to a fair hearing.
The Plaintiff, also wants the court to order the Nigeria Army to remove the Post No Debit (PND) placed on his account and another order compelling FCMB to tender a public apology to him, in at least three national dailies for the violation of his fundamental rights without following the due process of the law.
Besides, the Army Officer applied for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, employees, operatives, detectives, servants and privies and investigating officers from further putting his bank on PND without a valid court order.
The plaintiff claimed that on February 23, 2017, one Major General I. M. Obot (Rtd), Chief of Staff, Army Headquarters Garrison, allegedly informed him of a jailbreak involving one Lance Corporal, Benjamin Collins and that he was instructed along with three others to drill the Corporal and relocate him to another detention facility.
He averred that in obedience to the instruction, he and the other three officers drilled the Corporal and that in the process, the Corporal died.
Plaintiff further stated that he was put into military trial and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment which he is still serving, while the other three officers who allegedly participated in the drilling of the deceased corporal were discharged and acquitted.
He averred that in his bid to take care of his family, he raised some cheques for withdrawal through one of his friends and that the cheques were dishonoured on the grounds that the Nigeria Army had placed a Post No Debit on his account via a letter to the bank.
He further contended that he committed no offence known to law to warrant the Nigeria Army placing restrictions on his bank account without an order of the court.
Plaintiff further averred that freezing of his account and searching of his apartment without a court order and his subsequent dehumanisation by the two respondents is illegal, wrongful, unlawful and constitutes a blatant violation of his fundamental rights as enshrined in section 36, 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
He, therefore, prayed the court to declare that freezing of his account, searching of his house and his dehumanisation was illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the case as it is yet to be assigned to a Judge.
Tribune
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