The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami; the police, the Department of State Service, and others, on Wednesday, conceded that Peace Corps of Nigeria was a legally registered organisation but alleged that the group was engaging in criminal activities. They said this before a Federal High Court in Abuja while opposing a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, its National Commandant, Dickson Akoh, and 48 members of the group. Meanwhile, Peace Corps and Akoh are currently being prosecuted by the Office of the AGF on fraud charges before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after hearing all parties to the rights enforcement suit on Wednesday, fixed noon of July 6 for judgment. The plaintiffs are through their suit seeking N2bn as compensation for the embarrassment allegedly caused the Peace Corps of Nigeria and its incorporated trustees “by the arrest and detention of its personnel carried out in a commando style by the security operatives” in March this year. The defendants to the suit are the Nigeria Police, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; the AGF, the National Security Adviser, Babagaba Monguno, Department of State Service and its Director-General, Mr.Lawal Daura arguing, the plaintiffs’ case on Wednesday, their lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), alleged that while the matter filed on March 8, 2017 was pending before the court, the police and the IGP took over the premises of the group.
Urging the court to grant all the 14 prayers of his clients, Agabi said the main question which the court had to determine was whether Peace Corps of Nigeria was a legitimate organisation.
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