The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday fixed February 24, 2021 for the hearing of a N100m suit filed by a whistleblower, George Davidson, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission.
The plaintiff had filed the fundamental human rights enforcement suit following his alleged illegal detention by the ICPC from October 13 to 31, 2020.
He said he was detained following a whistleblower’s information he claimed to have given the commission about a Grade Level 9 federal civil servant, Regina Dominic.
The commission had detained him on the basis that the information he gave was false.
Part of the respondents sued in the suit are, ICPC, ICPC’s Director of Operations, Akeem Lawal, as well as some ICPC operatives – Offili Innocent, Maman Kuru, Kontagora Khadijat.
The other respondents are Regina Dominic and Attorney General of the Federation.
The plaintiff, through his lawyer, A.O Osawaru, argued in his suit that no court had found him guilty of any offence to warrant such detention.
He sought the court’s declaration that the detention of his client by the ICPC and its agents (2nd to 5th respondents), at the behest of Mrs Dominic (6th respondent), was unlawful and unwarranted.
The plaintiff also sought an order directing the 7th respondent (AGF) “to take over and assign the applicant’s petition against the 6th respondent (Dominic) to another anti-corruption agency for a discreet investigation”.
He sought the sum N100m as damages/compensation for the illegal, unwarranted, unlawful and unconstitutional arrest and detention.
The judge then adjourned till February 24 for hearing.
