IGP ordered to pay detained Delta journalists N350,000

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu

A Delta State High Court sitting in Otor - Udu has ordered the Inspector - General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu ; the Officer in - Charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit , DCP Abba Kyari ; and detective Reuben Noah , to pay three Delta State - based journalists the sum of N 350, 000 for their unlawful arrest and detention in Warri .

The affected journalists are Matthew Omonigho , Christopher Odamah and Onyekachukwu Meluwa of the Daily Post , Delta Trumpet and The PUNCH , respectively .

Justice Roli Harriman also directed the respondents to tender an apology to the applicants in three national dailies within 14 days .

A copy of the judgment , which was obtained by our correspondent in Warri on Thursday , stated that the three journalists had separately approached the court for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights through their counsel , Oghenejabor Ikimi , and sought N 10 m each as damages in suit numbers : OUHC /FHR /85 /2020 , OUHC / FHR /86 /2020 and OUHC / FHR / 87 / 2020 .

The court , in its judgment stated that in the circumstances , it found that “ the actions of the respondents were calculated and did breach the fundamental rights of the applicants, who are entitled to compensation . ”