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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">Representation:</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">C. O. Ejiogu for the Applicant<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Adeyemi Olukoya for the Respondents<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">JUDGMENT/RULING<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">This action was commenced at the Federal High Court on the 17<sup>th</sup> day of March 2015 before it was transferred to this court by an order of transfer dated the 18<sup>th</sup> day of June 2015. The applicant by way of motion on notice pursuant to Order 11 Rules 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, Sections 35, 37, 41 and 47 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Charter A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004; sought for an order for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental rights in terms of the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents in their official capacity or through the use of vigilante outfits of the local community have no powers under the Nigerian Constitution and the law to invade the home of the applicant and lay siege in his premises in order to effect a substitute arrest on him when the applicant has not committed any offence known to law.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to break into the home of the applicant and cart away his household property and drive away all the occupants of the applicant’s home under the guise of looking for a criminal suspect.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to harass, intimidate and turn the applicant into a refugee in his own land as a means of compelling submission to arrest and in order to lure a criminal suspect to the police.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to seize the applicant’s motorcycle in exchange for a wanted criminal suspect.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">An order that the respondents pay to the applicant the sum of <s>N</s>1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) damages for unwarranted harassment intimidation, threat of arrest, disgrace and invasion of his home for no cognizable offence.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">An order restraining the respondents whether by themselves, their agents, workmen, privies or through the use of Ngugo Obaire Local vigilante of Ikeduru LGA from arresting, harassing, detaining and/or in any other manner attempting to substitute arrest on the applicant for non existing offence.<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">The motion was accompanied by the applicant’s statement and supporting affidavit of 8 paragraphs deposed to by Mrs. Doris Nneji, the applicant’s sister-in-law. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">In the supporting written address, counsel formulated 3 issues for determination as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether the fundamental rights of the applicant as enshrined under Sections 34, 35, 41, 42 and 47 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4 and 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act; have been breached.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether the acts of the respondents as averred constitute a breach of the fundamental rights of the applicant as provided above.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether the applicant is entitled to compensation.<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Regarding issues 1 and 2, counsel referred the court to paragraphs 2-7 of the supporting affidavit, and submitted that the fundamental rights of the applicant as enshrined under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act; have been abused by the respondents and their men and use of vigilante. Counsel argued that the applicant’s right to personal liberty, freedom of movement, dignity of his person, freedom of privacy and family life, as well as his right to property ownership have all been violated by the respondents’ acts. Similarly, it is counsel’s submission that the applicant has committed no crime to warrant any breach of the rights enumerated above. Counsel went further to argue, relying on <b>FAWEHINMI vs. I. G. P. (2002) 7 NWLR (Pt. 767) 606</b> that the rights of the applicant provided for in the Constitution are sacred and can only be breached in special circumstances, which is not the situation in the present case. In the same vein, counsel contended that the applicant has shown that the acts of the respondents were malafide for which the applicant is entitled to damages.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Furthermore, counsel argued that the sort of the extant application arises when there is a breach or likely breach of a citizen’s right; such that the onus is on the respondent to justify the breach. See <b>IYERE vs. DURU (1986) 5 NWLR (Pt. 44) 665</b>. Counsel drew the court’s attention to the decision in <b>C. O. P. ONDO STATE vs. OBOLLO (1989) 5 NWLR (Pt. 180) 130 at 131</b>, as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">“Where a party to a suit claims to have been unlawfully arrested, the burden of proving legality or constitutionality of the arrest or imprisonment is on the party who effected the arrest by adducing evidence that the arrested person was on reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence or that the arrest was reasonably necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Based on this decision, counsel submitted that the applicant’s arrest was unconstitutional because there is no reasonable suspicion that the applicant committed or is likely to commit an offence; it is out of place for the applicant and his household to be hunted in search of a wanted criminal suspect. See <b>OBOLLO vs. COP (SUPRA)</b> and <b>OTERI vs. OKORODUDU (1970) 1 All NLR 194.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">With respect to issue three, counsel submitted that the applicant has shown that his ownership of private property has and is been breached, which makes the applicant qualified to be awarded damages. It is the further submission of counsel that in awarding damages, the court ought to take into consideration the applicant’s status, the degrading treatment meted out to him, the violation of the applicant’s right without legal justification and the denial of his home privacy and ownership of property. See <b>ODOGWU vs AGF (1996) 40-41 LRCN 1454</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Again, counsel argued that at the instant the applicant’s fundamental right is breached without justification in law and the right to his liberty has been invaded; the applicant is entitled to damages irrespective of the duration of violation. See <b>ISANALUMHE vs. AMADIN (2001) 1 CHR 458</b>. Further, counsel contended that physical injury of the applicant does not need to be established for the court to order compensation. Counsel urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:4.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">On 18/2/2016, the respondents filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection (NPO) pursuant to Order VIII, Rule 2 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, challenging the competency of this suit and the court’s jurisdiction on the following grounds:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">a. <i>The cause of action is hostage taken matter under Imo State Law No. 4 2009 and it cannot be validly brought to this court as the subject matter is not within the jurisdiction of this court within the purview of section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">b. The 2<sup>nd</sup> respondent (O/C Anti Kidnapping Unit State Police Headquarters Owerri) is not a juristic person that can sue and be sued in law.</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">The Applicants further urged the court in the said application to take notice that in moving the said application, the 1<sup>st</sup> Respondents shall rely on records of this court including the Counter Affidavit of the Respondents and Exhibits attached thereto. The Notice of Preliminary Objection was supported by a Counter affidavit of 19 paragraphs deposed to by Ita Osung, a Police Officer attached to the legal section Anti-Kidnapping Unit, State Police Headquarters, Owerri. The Counter Affidavit, upon application by respondents’ counsel, was deemed as affidavit both in support of the Preliminary Objection, and in reaction to the applicant’s substantive application. In the accompanying written address, counsel identified the following issues for determination:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether there is lawful basis to conduct an investigation against the applicant in respect of complaint to the 1<sup>st</sup> respondent.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether the applicant is entitled to damages resulting from issue one above.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether the subject matter, hostage taken of Imo state Law can be validly tried by this court.<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Whether O/C Anti-kidnapping unit without a specific name is a juristic person to sue or be sued as such can the 1<sup>st</sup> respondent be liable.<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Regarding issue one, counsel submitted that the respondent is legally empowered to investigate infractions, in order to maintain law and order. See <b>OKOCHI vs. AMINKWI (2003) 18 NWLR (Pt. 851) 28</b>. Similarly, it is the submission of counsel that where an applicant is arrested, detained and being investigated based on a complaint or prevailing crime as in the instant case; it cannot be said that the right of the person against whom the complaint was has been infringed by the respondent. Counsel relied on <b>BASSEY vs. ALFA (2010) All Fed LR 14 77 at ratio 5</b> where it was held that “when a citizen reports a matter to the police for the exercise of their discretion including investigation; neither the police nor the citizen would be liable for breach of the right of arrest if the report to the police discloses a prima facie case against the applicant. See also <b>FAJEMIROKUN vs. CB (CI) NIG LTD (2002) 10 NWLR (Pt. 774) 95, AFRIBANK PLC vs. OYIM (2004) 2 NWLR (Pt. 858) and FAWEHINMI V IGP (2002) 7 NWLR (Pt. 747) 95</b> where it was held that by virtue of Section 4 of the Police Act, the powers of the police include prevention and detection of crime, apprehending offenders and preservation of law and order. Counsel referred the court to <b>OKANU vs. COP IMO STATE (2010) 1 CHR 407 at 408 and 411</b> where it was held that arrest of a person on the reasonable suspicion of crime will not render the police liable for breach of fundamental right.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Similarly, counsel argued that the acts of investigation and intended prosecution of the applicant, by the respondents were based on a reasonable suspicion of crime. Consequently, the applicant has not suffered any damages. It is the opinion of counsel that the extant application is an attempt on the part of the applicant to frustrate investigation and prosecution. Counsel argued that the extant application is an attempt on the part of the applicant to frustrate investigation and prosecution. Counsel argued that using a fundamental rights enforcement application by a person who has committed any crime or who is reasonably suspected to have committed any crime to avoid arrest, investigation and possible prosecution negates the intention of the constitution. See <b>ASARI DOKUBO vs. FRN (2007) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1048) 320</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">With respect to issue two, counsel argued that for an arrest or invitation to be unlawful, it must be without an allegation of crime. In the instant case, it is counsel’s opinion that the acts of the respondents toward the applicant are lawful as deposed to in the counter affidavit. Also, counsel argued that the applicant cannot use the instant application to shield himself from criminal investigation and possible prosecution. See the cases of <b>SOCIETE GENERALE BANK vs. AFEKORO (1999) 11 NWLR (Pt. 638) 521 </b>and<b> A. G. ANAMBRA vs. UBA (2005) NWLR (Pt. 947) 44 at 66-67 ratio 8 para 6A-C</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Furthermore, it is counsel’s contention that paragraph 9 of the applicant’s affidavit is false and the entire application is designed to deceive the court. Counsel referred the court to the exhibits annexed to the counter affidavit where it was stated that Ifeanyi Osuji masterminded the kidnapping of one Vegenia Ejiaku ‘F’. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:4.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">On issue three, Counsel submitted that that in ascertaining the competence of the suit, the court has the duty to ascertain what the applicant’s claim is. On this note, it is the argument of counsel that the subject matter or principal claim is not within the jurisdiction of this court as provided for in Section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Consequently, the jurisdiction of the court is not properly invoked and this action is liable to be struck out. See <b>WAEC vs. AKINKUNMI (2008) 35 NSCQR 222</b>. In the same vein, counsel contended that the applicant’s first relief mentioned the use of local vigilante, an outfit organization used to arrest suspects of hostage offences, which is pari materia with the Imo State Hostage Taken Law No. 4 of 2009; which is outside the ambit of this court’s jurisdiction provided for in Section 251(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:4.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Furthermore, with respect to issue four, it is the submission of counsel that the manner the name of the 2<sup>nd</sup> respondent is rendered without affixing the name of the police officer in full makes the 2<sup>nd</sup> respondent a non-juristic person who cannot sue or be sued and makes the name of the 2<sup>nd</sup> respondent liable to be struck out. It is counsel’s further submission that the court cannot assume jurisdiction when the proper parties are not before it, and the suit cannot be adjudicated as it relates only to the 1<sup>st</sup> Respondent. Counsel submitted that where a person who is not a juristic person is sued, the action would be struck out. See <b>ABAKALIKI LG COUNCIL vs. ABAKALIKI RICE MILLS OWNERS ENTERPRISES (1990) 6 NWLR (Pt. 155) 182, FAWEHINMI vs. NBA (NO.2) (1989) 2 NWLR (Pt. 105) 558</b>. Again, counsel contended that the applicant did not state in the supporting affidavit that the 1<sup>st</sup> respondent’s staff or agent were instructed to carry out any justifiable act against the applicant. Counsel referred the court to section 341 of the Police Act which reads:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal; tab-stops:141.75pt"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">“In the individual exercise of his powers as a police officer, every police officer shall be personally liable for any misuse of his powers or any act done in excess of his authority.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">Counsel urged the court to uphold the preliminary objection, strike out the 2<sup>nd</sup> Respondent on record and dismiss the application for lacking in merit with substantial cost.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">On 25/4/2016, the applicant filed a further affidavit in support of the application. In the accompanying Reply on points of law, counsel submitted that the applicant’s cause of action is the infringement of his fundamental rights by the respondents provided by the Constitution and not the Hostage Taken Law. Counsel repeated his argument that once an applicant has shown a likely breach or breach of his fundamental right; a legal right to forestal or stem the breach has arisen. See <b>IYERE vs. DURU (SUPRA)</b>. Counsel further submitted that the respondents’ Exhibits NPF1 and NPF2 do not indicate any evidence of the applicant’s participation or conspiracy to commit the alleged kidnapping. Further, counsel argued that only parties to an offence are liable to be arrested or to be charged for committing that offence. Thus, a manhunt placed on the applicant amounts to a violation of their right to liberty and freedom of movement, which is unconstitutional. Counsel urged the court to entertain this action.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Comic Sans MS""> <b> <u>COURT’s DECISION<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">In the order of transfer of this suit to this court made by the Federal High Court, Owerri Division on 18<sup>th</sup> June 2015, the reason advanced for transferring the suit to this court was that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate over the matter. After this court became seized of the matter, the 1<sup>st</sup> Respondent raised an objection challenging the jurisdiction of this court to hear and determine the suit on the grounds I have earlier reproduced in this judgment. I will therefore, in this ruling, deal with the objection by the 1<sup>st</sup> Respondent to the jurisdiction of this court <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">This court observes that the applicant’s action is an application for the enforcement of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004. The facts upon which the applicant brought the application, as stated in the grounds of the application and the affidavit of Mrs. Doris Nneji, are that on an allegation that one Ifeanyi Osuji, the 1<sup>st</sup> son of the applicant, was involved in the kidnapping of one Virginia Ejiaku, the police invaded the applicant’s home on 18<sup>th</sup> December 2014 for the arrest of the said Ifeanyi Osuji. When the police could not find Ifeanyi Osuji, they harassed members of the applicant’s family, broke doors to the house and eventually arrested Ifeanyi Osuji’s brother, Augustine Chigozie Osuji Jnr, in place of Ifeanyi Osuji. Augustine Chigozie Osuji Jnr was later released by the police when they were told by the major suspect in the crime, one John Agamana, that Augustine Chigozie Osuji Jnr was not involved. The applicants discovered that the police had taken from their home a Q-Link motorcycle with its particulars. Thereafter, the applicant’s household experienced constant invasion by the police such that the applicant and his family members had to run away from their home and have since been living in perpetual fear. Consequently, the invasion of the applicant’s home amounts to a violation of the applicant’s right to personal liberty, dignity of his human person and privacy of his home. It was on the basis of these facts the applicant brought the reliefs he sought in the application. Although I have set out the reliefs earlier in this ruling, it is necessary to repeat them at this point in order to emphasise the subject of the applicant’s application. The reliefs are:<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents in their official capacity or through the use of vigilante outfits of the local community have no powers under the Nigerian Constitution and the law to invade the home of the applicant and lay siege in his premises in order to effect a substitute arrest on him when the applicant has not committed any offence known to law.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to break into the home of the applicant and cart away his household property and drive away all the occupants of the applicant’s home under the guise of looking for a criminal suspect.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">3.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to harass, intimidate and turn the applicant into a refugee in his own land as a means of compelling submission to arrest and in order to lure a criminal suspect to the police.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">A declaration that the respondents have no powers to seize the applicant’s motorcycle in exchange for a wanted criminal suspect.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">5.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">An order that the respondents pay to the applicant the sum of <s>N</s>1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) damages for unwanted harassment intimidation, threat of arrest, disgrace and invasion of his home for no cognizable offence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.75in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in; line-height:normal;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Comic Sans MS";mso-fareast-font-family:"Comic Sans MS";mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"">6.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">An order restraining the respondents whether by themselves, their agents, workmen, privies or through the use of Ngugo Obaire Local vigilante of Ikeduru LGA from arresting, harassing, detaining and/or in any other manner attempting to substitute arrest on the applicant for non existing offence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The causes or matters on which this court has jurisdiction are set out in section 254C of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). For the purpose of resolving of the objection at hand, I shall set the full provision.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">“(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 251, 257, 272 and anything contained in this Constitution and in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly, the National Industrial Court shall have and exercise jurisdiction to the exclusion of any other court in civil causes and matters-<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(a) relating to or connected with any labour, employment, trade unions, industrial relations and matters arising from workplace, the condition of service, including health, safety, welfare of labour, employee, worker and matters incidental thereto or connected therewith; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(b) relating to, connected with or arising from Factories Act, Trade Disputes Act, Trade Unions Act, Labour Act, Employees Compensation Act or any other Act or Law relating to labour, employment, industrial relations, workplace or any other enactment replacing the Acts or Laws;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(c) relating to or connected with the grant of any order restraining any person or body from taking part in any strike, lock-out or any industrial action, or any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a strike, lock-out or any industrial action and matters Connected therewith or related thereto;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(d) relating to or connected with any dispute over the interpretation and application of the provisions of Chapter IV of this Constitution as it relates to any employment, labour, industrial relations, trade unionism, employer's association or any other matter which the Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(e) relating to or connected with any dispute arising from national minimum wage for the Federation or any part thereof and matters connected therewith or arising therefrom; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(f) relating to or connected with unfair labour practice or international best practices in labour, employment and industrial relation matters;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(g) relating to or connected with any dispute arising from discrimination or sexual harassment at workplace; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(h) relating to, connected with or pertaining to the application or interpretation of international labour standards; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(i) connected with or related to child labour, child abuse, human trafficking or any matter connected therewith or related thereto; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(j) relating to the determination of any question as to the interpretation and application of any-<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(i) collective agreement; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(ii) award or order made by an arbitral tribunal in respect of a trade dispute or a trade union dispute; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(iii) award or judgment of the Court; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(iv) terms of settlement of any trade dispute; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(v) trade union dispute or employment dispute as may be recorded in a memorandum of settlement; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(vi) trade union constitution, the constitution of an association of employers or any association relating to employment, labour industrial relations or work place; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(vii) dispute relating to or connected with any personnel matter arising from any free trade zone in the Federation or any part thereof; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(k) relating to or connected with disputes arising from payment or non-payment of salaries, wages, pensions, gratuities, allowances benefits and any other entitlement of any employee, worker, political or public office holder, judicial officer or any civil or public servant he any part of the Federation and matters incidental thereto; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(l) relating to-<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(i) appeals from the decisions of the Registrar of Trade Unions, or matters relating thereto or connected therewith; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(ii) appeals from the decisions or recommendations of any administrative body or commission of enquiry, arising from or connected with employment, labour, trade unions or industrial relations; and <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(iii) such other jurisdiction, civil or criminal and whether to the exclusion of any other court or not, as may be conferred upon it by an Act of the National Assembly; <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 3pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(m) relating to or connected with the registration of collective agreements. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, the National Industrial Court shall have the jurisdiction and power to deal with any matter connected with or pertaining of the application of any international convention, treaty or protocol of which Nigeria has ratified relating to labour, employment, workplace, industrial relations or matters connected therewith. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(3) The National Industrial Court may establish an Alternative Dispute Resolutions Centre within the Court premises on matters which jurisdiction is conferred on the court by this Constitution or any Act or Law: <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 2pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Provided that nothing in this subsection shall preclude the National Industrial Court from entertaining and exercising appellate and supervisory jurisdiction over an arbitral tribunal or commission, administrative body, or board of inquiry in respect of any matter, but the National Industrial Court has jurisdiction to entertain or any other matter as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly or any Law in force in any part of the Federation. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(4) The National Industrial Court shall have and exercise jurisdiction and powers to entertain any application for the enforcement of the award, decision, ruling or order made by any arbitral tribunal or commission, administrative body, or board of inquiry relating to, connected with, arising from or pertaining to any matter of which the National Industrial Court has the jurisdiction to entertain. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">(5) The National Industrial Court shall have and exercise jurisdiction and powers in criminal causes and matters arising from any cause or matter of which jurisdiction is conferred on the National Industrial Court by this section or any other Act of the National Assembly or by any other law.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:1.0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.5in; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The jurisdiction of this court, as provided in subsection 1 (d) of section 254C of the 1999 Constitution, to entertain matters brought under chapter IV of the Constitution for the enforcement of fundamental right is quite clear. The fundamental right suit which this court can entertain must relate to <b>“<i>employment, labour, industrial relations, trade unionism, employer's association or any other matter which the Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine.”</i></b> An examination of the facts of the application and the reliefs sought by the applicant reveal that the subject of the application is not related to employment, labour, industrial relations or trade unionism neither is the application connected to any of the subject matters listed above, as provided in section 254C of the Constitution, on which this court can exercise jurisdiction. The instant fundamental right application is merely seeking the court to pronounce on the applicant’s right to personal liberty, dignity of his human person and privacy arising from police invasion of his home. The application has no connection to nor does it raise any question on any of the matters under the jurisdictional competence of this court.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Perhaps, the confusion which informed the transfer of the suit to this court was the original criminal case of adduction/kidnapping before the police which culminated in the issues now brought before the court in this application. The provision of section 254C (1) i) of the Constitution may have been misconceived to the extent that this court has jurisdiction in the case of adduction before the police. Although, this court has jurisdiction in criminal cases, that jurisdiction, as provided in section 254C (5) of the Constitution, can only be exercised in respect of criminal matters arising from the subject matters under the jurisdiction of this court. Since this application is not a criminal matter, it will be unwise to take into consideration the criminal allegation before the police in deciding whether this court or any court for that matter, has jurisdiction to entertain the applicant’s application for the enforcement of his fundamental rights. It will be out of place also to conclude that the allegation of abduction for which the police caused the applicant to bring this application falls under the criminal jurisdiction of this court. This is because, under Section 254C (1) i) of the Constitution, offences relating to child labour, child abuse or human trafficking may be tried by this court but the alleged offence of kidnapping or abduction of the nature which led to the bringing of this application is not the one contemplated in the provision. The clarification must be made that the jurisdiction of this court under this provision does not include hearing cases bordering on kidnapping.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The instant application is a fundamental rights application and it falls outside the type of fundamental rights proceedings which this court can entertain. I find that this court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the application. I therefore decline jurisdiction to hear it. Accordingly, the suit is hereby struck out. No order as to cost. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Ruling is entered accordingly.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Hon. Justice O. Y. Anuwe<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Judge</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;tab-stops:141.75pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></p>