- The SDP candidate sued Mr Bello; Nigeria Police Force; I-G; Kogi Commissioner of Police; Department of State Service (DSS); DSS DG as 1st to 6th respondents, respectively.
- The applicant also joined the Director of DSS Command in Kogi; Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Chief of Defence Staff; Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff as 7th to 11th respondents in the case.
On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello must pay N500 million to Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for governor, Murtala Ajaka, for allegedly violating his fundamental rights.
Bello must publicly apologise to Ajaka “for the gross and unwarranted violation” of his rights, according to Justice Inyang Ekwo’s ruling.
Justice Ekwo also issued a directive asking the leaders of the security agencies to guarantee Ajaka’s safety.
The judge further made “an order of injunction, restraining the security agencies from arresting/abducting, detaining and/or further harassing, intimidating, shooting/threatening the applicant’s life and properties”.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ajaka sought judicial protection against Bello in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/952/2023, filed on July 11 by his lawyer, S.E. Aruwa, SAN.
The Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, Kogi State Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Service (DSS), and the Director General of the DSS were joined in the suit as respondents.
Other respondents are the Director of the DSS Command in Kogi, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Chief of Naval Staff.