OP says he was detained for 6 hours. Is that sufficient for an award of damages/compensation by the courts?

Here is the position of Nigerian courts on that issue

In ESENALU V JOYCE AMADI [2001] CLR 458 AT 459, three hours of detention was held as an infraction of the Applicant’s right to personal liberty.

In CHAIRMAN EFCC V LITTLECHILD [2016] 3 NWLR (PT. 1498) 72 AT PAGE 94 PARA. G per Osji, J.C.A, it was held that:
It must however be noted that the totality of the finding of the lower court was that the arrest and detention of the 1st respondent was illegal and unconstitutional ab initio given that there was no basis for same. The guy who was wronged got N5,000,000.00 in damages.

In ISENALUMHE V JOYCE AMADIN [2001] CHR 458 it was decided that irrespective of the fact the period of detention was counted in minutes , it will be adjudged that rights infringement and false imprisonment has occurred if the arrest and detention was not backed by law and that the period of detention was only relevant to accessing how much damages to award.

In GUSAU V UMEZURIKE & ANOR [2013] LPELR-8000 PAGE 36 Paras. C- E, it was held that the period of detention even if short will be adjudged as a rights infringement if the arrest or detention was extra-legal, unlawful, without legal foundation basis or authority in the first place.

Why release the OP if he was indeed a criminal? Clearly the police who arrested the OP are the criminals?

Why are they scared to let the law take its course against them for abuse of office?

Just in case anyone faces the same situation and decides unlike the OP to pursue his or her rights.

Your lawyer is your friend!

The police as we have just seen is not always your friend.

Ikpumbe1:
The issue has been resolved. My money has been refunded. I have forgiven the officers

All I can say is poor, not just you but this country as a whole, tueh.

nurey:


You are one of the problems of this country because they will still try it and succeed with other innocent people.

Spare the rod and spoil the child

seriously, I'm highly disappointed. he even said he have forgiven them. so what's the essence of bringing it up here. They will now gave him back his money and use the other hand to rub his head sorry. oh Nigeria my country indeed.

Ikpumbe1:
The issue has been resolved. My money has been refunded. I have forgiven the officers

you are a big fool..... people like u are why we don't fight for peoples right

Ikpumbe1:
The issue has been resolved. My money has been refunded. I have forgiven the officers

you are a big foolll.... people like u are why we don't fight for peoples right

Ikpumbe1:
The issue has been resolved. My money has been refunded. I have forgiven the officers

.
please, what was their excuse for the extortion?

who helped in the refund?

AIIAssociates:
OP says he was detained for 6 hours. Is that sufficient for an award of damages/compensation by the courts?

Here is the position of Nigerian courts on that issue

In ESENALU V JOYCE AMADI [2001] CLR 458 AT 459, three hours of detention was held as an infraction of the Applicant’s right to personal liberty.

In CHAIRMAN EFCC V LITTLECHILD [2016] 3 NWLR (PT. 1498) 72 AT PAGE 94 PARA. G per Osji, J.C.A, it was held that:
It must however be noted that the totality of the finding of the lower court was that the arrest and detention of the 1st respondent was illegal and unconstitutional ab initio given that there was no basis for same.
The guy who was wronged got N5,000,000.00 in damages.

In ISENALUMHE V JOYCE AMADIN [2001] CHR 458 it was decided that irrespective of the fact the period of detention was counted in minutes , it will be adjudged that rights infringement and false imprisonment has occurred if the arrest and detention was not backed by law and that the period of detention was only relevant to accessing how much damages to award.

In GUSAU V UMEZURIKE & ANOR [2013] LPELR-8000 PAGE 36 Paras. C- E, it was held that the period of detention even if short will be adjudged as a rights infringement if the arrest or detention was extra-legal, unlawful, without legal foundation basis or authority in the first place.

Just in case anyone faces the same situation and decides unlike the OP to pursue his or her rights.

Your lawyer is your friend!

The police as we have just seen is not always your friend.

Big thanks for this, I'm a fan. Sir I will need to know more about the law, especially more about freedom or liberty to free speech.
I wanted to start a program on a private radio next year, and I believe I will surely run against the law with this government who want to caged everybody from expressing thier constitutional right.
I will follow you Sir, incase I need any help pertaining the law. thanks.

Ezemarcel:
you are a big foolll.... people like u are why we don't fight for peoples right

Hmmm. So I shouldn't forgive them?

Ikpumbe1:
On 29/12/2020 in Aba, I was stopped by a group of police men while driving myself and family members on my 2005 honda accord. The police men wore just police camouflage polos with no displayed Identity card, name tag or force number and were carrying AK-47 rifles. I was driving my 2005 honda accord car with Lagos registration number.

Inside the car were my two younger brothers, my younger sister, my wife and my one year old baby. The police men requested for my vehicle papers and driver's license which I handed over to them. They said that my license registration number is fake. They showed me an FRSC web page where they ran my plate number and it displayed "Invalid".

I explained to them that the number was duly registered in Lagos and that the plate number was gotten via legal channels and there is no way it can be fake. They wouldn't hear of that. I demanded that they allow me call who registered the vehicle for me which I did. The agent that registered the vehicle for me is a colleague of mine in the office that has connection with FRSC.

He explained to me that Lagos is the only state that produces their plate number themselves and that sometimes they don't upload it on FRSC database. So, that the number doesn't show on FRSC database doesn't mean that it's fake. He gave me Lagos autoreg verification website(verify.autoreg.ng) to give the policemen to verify the plate number . I personally verified my number on the autoreg website and it showed valid. I tried explaining these to the policemen but they wouldn't hear the explanation.

They collected the car keys from me to drive the car to their station but couldn't start the car after several attempts. They ordered I and my younger brother into their miniature mitsubishi bus and took us to their station. They later took my brother back to the car location and towed the vehicle to their station.

They told me to UnCloth to my boxer shorts and detained me inside their cell(the condition of the cell is story for another day). I was detained for approximately 6hours till my dad came and they collected thirty thousand naira from him before releasing me. The DPO ordered for my release after my father intervened and is most likely aware of the thirty thousand that was paid before I was released.

He(DPO) said my vehicle should not be released till they conclude investigation on the license plate issue. They defrauded 30k from my father to effect my release when I committed no crime. My vehicle was duly registered in Lagos which can be verified on autoreg website. They detained me for no just cause for 6hours in a filthy cell that is not fit for lower animals let alone a human being. They refused to release my vehicle till this moment thereby causing a lot of hardship to my family for someone that visited home for Xmas.


I have resolved to fight the humiliation I am suffering in their hands with everything I have got. I just want to be sure that what my agent told me is the truth. Is a plate showing on autoreg but not on FRSC database fake? How can I prove that my plate number is authentic?
Please gurus should respond.

If you have a twitter account, send this to @segalinks and ask copy @PoliceNG_CRU, @PoliceNG. They are will be step in for you and your money will be refunded

Ikpumbe1:

Hmmm. So I shouldn't forgive them?

I have already escalated this on twitter.... .

Do you know what that police station has bn upto lately.....

Just type eziama police station on twitter and see peoples complaint.....

If we keep forgiving like how then will we achieve our gain....which is a better police...


Just imagine those men meeting u on the road by 10pm with 500k cash in ur car....
Tell me if they won't shoot u

dontai:
Big thanks for this, I'm a fan. Sir I will need to know more about the law, especially more about freedom or liberty to free speech.
I wanted to start a program on a private radio next year, and I believe I will surely run against the law with this government who want to caged everybody from expressing thier constitutional right.
I will follow you Sir, incase I need any help pertaining the law. thanks.

Thanks for the compliments.

nyiamfrank:
WE ARE AWARE THAT POLICE IS THE MOTHER OF ALL, I MEAN ALL MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY IN THE COUNTRY. IF THE POLICE COULD PERFORM SUCH MILITARY DUTIES AS WAR AGAINST INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ATTACK, HOW MUCH MORE ORDINARY CIVIL CASES. THE MOST ORGANIZED CIVIL BODY CIVIL BODY CAN'T HANDLE? HISTORY TELLS US THAT ALL MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY WERE CARVED OUT OF POLICE BUT NEVER THAT THE FUNCTIONS WERE WITHDRAWN FROM POLICE. CHECK!

U still sound very uneducated. O think you should learn the meanings of civil offence and criminal offences..the highest punishment for suspected non registered car should be inpoindment no arrest.

Sorry for ur sad experience...the truth is that road safety has the constitutionsional right to produce plate number and when they do, they record it on their database.. I'm sorry to join the police to tell you that ur plate number is fake..plate number belongs to fg ,its not a product t of lagos government or any state quote author=Ikpumbe1 post=97542788]On 29/12/2020 in Aba, I was stopped by a group of police men while driving myself and family members on my 2005 honda accord. The police men wore just police camouflage polos with no displayed Identity card, name tag or force number and were carrying AK-47 rifles. I was driving my 2005 honda accord car with Lagos registration number.

Inside the car were my two younger brothers, my younger sister, my wife and my one year old baby. The police men requested for my vehicle papers and driver's license which I handed over to them. They said that my license registration number is fake. They showed me an FRSC web page where they ran my plate number and it displayed "Invalid".

I explained to them that the number was duly registered in Lagos and that the plate number was gotten via legal channels and there is no way it can be fake. They wouldn't hear of that. I demanded that they allow me call who registered the vehicle for me which I did. The agent that registered the vehicle for me is a colleague of mine in the office that has connection with FRSC.

He explained to me that Lagos is the only state that produces their plate number themselves and that sometimes they don't upload it on FRSC database. So, that the number doesn't show on FRSC database doesn't mean that it's fake. He gave me Lagos autoreg verification website(verify.autoreg.ng) to give the policemen to verify the plate number . I personally verified my number on the autoreg website and it showed valid. I tried explaining these to the policemen but they wouldn't hear the explanation.

They collected the car keys from me to drive the car to their station but couldn't start the car after several attempts. They ordered I and my younger brother into their miniature mitsubishi bus and took us to their station. They later took my brother back to the car location and towed the vehicle to their station.

They told me to UnCloth to my boxer shorts and detained me inside their cell(the condition of the cell is story for another day). I was detained for approximately 6hours till my dad came and they collected thirty thousand naira from him before releasing me. The DPO ordered for my release after my father intervened and is most likely aware of the thirty thousand that was paid before I was released.

He(DPO) said my vehicle should not be released till they conclude investigation on the license plate issue. They defrauded 30k from my father to effect my release when I committed no crime. My vehicle was duly registered in Lagos which can be verified on autoreg website. They detained me for no just cause for 6hours in a filthy cell that is not fit for lower animals let alone a human being. They refused to release my vehicle till this moment thereby causing a lot of hardship to my family for someone that visited home for Xmas.


I have resolved to fight the humiliation I am suffering in their hands with everything I have got. I just want to be sure that what my agent told me is the truth. Is a plate showing on autoreg but not on FRSC database fake? How can I prove that my plate number is authentic?
Please gurus should respond.[/quote]

Ikpumbe1:

Hmmm. So I shouldn't forgive them?

It's very good to forgive. Shows that you are a better man but that will not stop the behaviour. You can forgive and also ensure that someone else does not go through the hellish experience you passed through. The next person may not be so lucky to come out with his/her life.

Ikpumbe1:

Hmmm. So I shouldn't forgive them?

Boss, you're a good person and I cherish you for that.

I helped you in the course of getting justice, I contributed my little quota...

I really think you should tell us how it all went down....

Please I'm begging, so we learn and understand how these things work.

harshimyomesk:

How was the issue resolved? we need the full details, not this short statement please.cos na you call us here oo, you can't just discharge us like that without giving full details.

The Twitter thread I created and tagged police complaint response unit and your tweets and retweets drew their attention. They called the DPO from Abuja and sent me his number to speak with him. The DPO invited me to his office with the squad members present where my money was refunded.

Ikpumbe1:

The Twitter thread I created and tagged police complaint response unit and your tweets and retweets drew their attention. They called the DPO from Abuja and sent me his number to speak with him. The DPO invited me to his office with the squad members present where my money was refunded.

Through out the process, the case officer assigned to my case was very professional and empathetic. He called me severally and made sure that my money was refunded.

fireback:
someone advised you to go after them on social media, when the matter was still hot, but you refuse. now you're calling them out after giving bribe intentionally. now that your car is no longer in their station, what evidence do you have against them. they can deny ever arresting you.

I had them on tape demanding for the money and confirming the one they collected earlier. If I was as wicked as they are and want them to be punished severely, I could use the tape as an evidence. I am not wicked and heartless and won't allow anybody's behaviour to me no matter how bad to turn me to one.

DelTel:


I get your point actually, words are easy to spill than action.

However, they know they are wrong and just using it as excuse to extort you; conversely their ignorance does not exonerate them or allows them to lock you up.

PS: I want to believe some of the policemen/women have their personal cars around, check the website to see if any of their cars is not valid too and point it out to them (that's what I do to FRSC officials whenever they stop me and people I know over tyre expiration rubbish they say and it has never failed ).

How do they stop you and know immediately your tyres are expired? Them put juju for eyes?

Ikpumbe1:

I had them on tape demanding for the money and confirming the one they collected earlier. If I was as wicked as they are and want them to be punished severely, I could use the tape as an evidence. I am not wicked and heartless and won't allow anybody's behaviour to me no matter how bad to turn me to one.

Which school you go sef? Cos you're sounding really stûpid right now.

Lagos is not a country, so I don't understand why cars registered there don't show up on FRSC database?

erico2k2:

U still sound very uneducated. O think you should learn the meanings of civil offence and criminal offences..the highest punishment for suspected non registered car should be inpoindment no arrest.

The criminal side of the story is what that young man won't tell you. No sane officer would want to detain anyone for a civil offence. I am believing that something is missing out from that young man's statement which only the police can tell. that is why I don't jump into conclusion in any story I see here, without hearing from both sides. a typical Nigerian will only paint the picture to beautify himself

Ikpumbe1:

I had them on tape demanding for the money and confirming the one they collected earlier. If I was as wicked as they are and want them to be punished severely, I could use the tape as an evidence. I am not wicked and heartless and won't allow anybody's behaviour to me no matter how bad to turn me to one.

I bet you those same policemen are back on the same spot, adding more victims to there wicked portfolio. If you bury the matter because u got you 30k back, you are part and parcel of the systemic wickedness.

nyiamfrank:
The criminal side of the story is what that young man won't tell you. No sane officer would want to detain anyone for a civil offence. I am believing that something is missing out from that young man's statement which only the police can tell. that is why I don't jump into conclusion in any story I see here, without hearing from both sides. a typical Nigerian will only paint the picture to beautify himself

I mean no offence, but you reason like a typical policeman. May your god help you overcome the darkness inherent.

lebete3000:


How do they stop you and know immediately your tyres are expired? Them put juju for eyes?

Each (original) tyre has date of manufacture stamped on it. FRSC (on their own) claims a tyre expires 4yrs after manufacturing date.

Baba40:



Mine is saying "Valid but yet to be assigned" what is the possible implication of this

Your guess is as good as mine .

DaddyGngeess:





Thank you very much oo, I just check mine now and is ok, I don't really know about this before, but u said last updated is G but mine started with M and is ok,

This issue is rampant with Lagos numbers, and the letter G I mean is the first letter after the LGA (i.e APP/LND/EKY), for example APP 419 G A.

replete:

what does it mean when your vehicle color on the verification page says custom and not the actual colour?
cc: pattybf

Shouldn't actually mean much, but with our security agents one should not leave that or anything to chance or commonsense.

Contact MVAA to rectify it.

We all need to have a telegram group where we can ask for help and get information on what to do when we face such police challenges..
Lawyers, people with connection and resources, activists and others that wants the best for the country should all come together and help individuals with such cases..

@policebrutalityhelpgroup

I created this telegram group..
Any better idea is appreciated...

DelTel:


Each (original) tyre has date of manufacture stamped on it. FRSC (on their own) claims a tyre expires 4yrs after manufacturing date.

Means they stopped you and took their time to check it right? Not like the date was conspicuous?

lebete3000:


Means they stopped you and took their time to check it right? Not like the date was conspicuous?

Yes, they stop and check vehicles at some areas esp Magodo junction, Mile 12 side, Motorways and other areas.

nyiamfrank:
You obviously refused driving your car to the station saying over your dead body, that car will never get to that station which is why you activated the car security system and handed the keys to them. the police however proved you wrong. We are Nigerians and we know our system, you could have saved yourself cost, energy, time etc at the scene but you choosed to get into a looooong heated altercation and that is the result. who knows whether you didn't even slap one of the policemen, because you won't tell us that one. this is what so many people here won't tell you but it's the bitter truth, they will keep consoling you, saying the policemen will be brought to book. hahaha that book for don full since!

I just read this trash you wrote. How can you be this unreasonable? I am a gentleman that hates altercation and arguments. I tried my best in explaining to those police guys but they were filled with greed. My money is back in full. They ended up wasting my time and thiers.