Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The daughter of the former governor of Imo State and wife of the Imo State governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2019 elections, Mrs Uloma Nwosu, and two others have dragged the Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, Imo State Commissioner of Police, Imo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and three others before a Federal High Court over alleged invasion of her shopping complex, the House of Freeda Limited, by members of the Committee on Recovery of Government Property.
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Also respondents in the Suit No FHC/OW/CS/92/2019 are the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Jasper Ndubuaku, Hon Kenneth Anaeme and Christian Obiano.
In a Motion on Notice, the applicants sought the Order of the Court as follows:
“A declaration that the respondents’ acts of forcibly breaking and entering on the 27th day of June of 2019 into the business premises and/or the building complex of the 1st Applicant known as or called House of Freeda situate and lying at km1, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, beside Greatwood Hotel, New Owerri and therefrom carting away property without the consent and authority of the 1st applicant are unlawful and amount to gross violation of the fundamental rights of the 1st applicant as provided for and preserved under Section 44 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 199 and Articles 14 and 21 (2)of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“A declaration that the respondents’ acts of beating up, wounding, torturing and rough handling of the staff of the applicants namely Nathaniel Okon and Abiodun Alli, using their thugs and hoodlums are unlawful and amount to gross violation of the fundamental right of the 1st applicant.”
It sought the award of “N5 billion as exemplary damages against the respondents for forcibly and/or viet armis invading the premises of the 1st applicant known as and called House of Freeda.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further threatening, beating up, wounding and torturing the applicants and/ or abusively handling any members of staff of the 1st and 2nd applicants.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, privies and/or workmen or any other person mandated by the Respondents, or any of them, howsoever from entering and/or further entering or carting away any other properties of the 1st and 2nd applicants whether individually or jointly owned including but not limited to the following properties; House of Freeda, East High College, East High Academy, El Freeda Foundation and West.”