Student sues NAF over alleged robbery, seeks N50m compensation

A student of Benue State University, Makurdi, has sued  the Nigerian Air Force at the Federal High Court for alleged armed robbery and violation of his rights, demanding  N50m compensation.

In Suit No. FHC/MKD/CS/08/2016 holden at the Federal High Court, Makurdi, the student, George Agema, in the application, asked the court for an order for the “Enforcement of his fundamental human rights.”

Joined in the suit as first, second, third and fourth respondents are; ACM Ubah Austine, the Chief of Air Staff, the Nigerian Air Force and the Attorney General of the Federation .

In the application, the applicant claimed that the first respondent, one ACM Ubah Austine and another individual (believed to be at large) had, on 26th March, 2015, robbed him of his motor bike at gun point along Gyado Villa.

The reliefs being sought, among others are, that the applicant said when he reported the incident at the Provost Marshal office at the Airforce Base, Makurdi, one of the Air policemen attacked him physically and accused him of maligning the name of the Nigerian Air Force.

He explained further that he and two friends that escorted him to report the matter were beaten and subjected to forced labour for nine hours before some personnel of the Airforce came to their rescue.

Agema observed that it was when he formally lodged his complaint that the suspect, ACM Ubah, was fished out, adding that since the incident, the NAF, which claimed to have dismissed the officers concerned, has yet to hand over the suspect to the Police, just as it has held on to his motorcycle.

The continuous holding of the bike, he lamented, has deprived him of his source of income, as he said that he used the proceeds to pay his tuition at the university.

At the hearing of the case on Monday, the first respondent, ACM Ubah, was not in court.

Counsel  to the applicant, Mr. Ucha Ulegede, told the court that the first respondent could not be served the writ of summons because he could not be traced and sought for more time to trace him.

The absence of the first respondent, ACM Ubah, in court, prompted the presiding judge, Justice Joseph Aneke, to adjourn the case to November 22, 2016 for further mention.