Mrs. Faith Ibya, wife of a journalist in Makurdi, has sued the wife of Benue Gov. Mrs Yemisi Suswam, for alleged illegal arrest and detention.
Joined in the suit is the Police Commissioner in the state, who Ibya accused of infringing on her fundamental human right in the suit filed at the Makurdi High Court on Jan. 20, by her counsel, Mr Alexander Oketa.
Ibya was allegedly arrested along with her one-year old daughter, Wuese-Ter Ibya and her husband’s elder sister, Grace Shimao and detained at the Police Headquarters, on Dec. 21, 2011 with no just cause, but were released the following day.
The police were said to have gone to the complainant’s house looking for her husband, Mr Henry Ibya of Premier Newspapers , , and decided to arrest the three when they met his absence.
He was said to have published a story in the paper, which the governor’s wife claimed was offensive.
Ibya is asking the court to declare their arrest “illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional” and issue a perpetual injunction to bar the respondents from further arresting them.
She also prayed the court to order the respondents to pay N50 million as general damages for their unlawful arrest and detention, as well as compel the respondents to tender an unreserved public apology.
No date has been fixed for the case.