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The Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, to pay the sum of N20 million as compensation to the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Youth Matters, Ikenga Ugochinyere, over what it called illegal arrest and detention.
Justice J. T. Tsoho, also ordered the DSS and the minister to tender unreserved apologies to the youth leader, in two national dailies for what it described as unconstitutional detention of the youth leader.
Ugochinyere, had in a statement, alleged that the DSS had perfected plans to re-arrest him over trumped-up charges that would not be bailable.
Ugochinyere, who is also the President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) said the agency’s plan was aimed at remanding him in prison for allegedly refusing to be silent in the political travails of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The youth activist dragged the duo before the court for alleged breach of his fundamental human rights , illegal arrest and detention for about a month.
Wednesday’s ruling was in pursuant of section 34, 35(1) 36, 40 of the 1999 constitution.
The court, in the ruling, barred the DSS or similar security agencies from arresting or preventing him in the discharge of his duties as President of National Youth Council of Nigeria or any other manner infringing on his fundamental rights.
Justice Tsoho declared the arrest and detention of Ikenga as unlawful, unconstitutional, oppressive, malicious and a gross violation of his freedom of movements.