Ayade’s Ex-aide Slams N5bn Lawsuit Against Cross River SSG, 8 Others

Special Adviser to immediate past Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Dr Oscar Ofuka, has dragged Secretary to State Government (SSG) Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, Security Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu, retired Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono, Secretary, Cross River State Cocoa Allocation Committee, Mr. Amba Ogar and six others to court for sponsoring his unlawful arrest and detention by Nigeria police.

Counsel to Dr Ofuka, Barr. Mba Ukweni (SAN), disclosed this to LEADERSHIP while giving an update date on the cocoa rift in Cross River State during a telephone conversation yesterday in Calabar.

Ukweni claimed that his client dragged appointees of the state government to court in order to seek redress over the unlawful arrest and detention since July 8, 2024, where he had been tormented, dehumanized and subjected to all sorts of abuse, locked up at different police cells including 245 Battalion military cell at Afi Barracks Ikom, Cross River State for no just reason.

Ukweni stated that such attitude amount to gross violation of Ofuka’s fundamental human right stressing that as he speaks Ofuka who had been taken to different medical centres has a problem with his neck.

In an application for the enforcement of fundamental human rights to life, Ofuka is set to claim damages of N5bn against the respondents. The matter has been fixed for hearing on August 22, 2024.

In suit No. HC/87F/24 After the court granted him bail, Ofuka accused the respondents (officials of the Cross River State government) of using their offices corrosively, tormenting him without justifiable reason.

The suit was filed by human rights lawyer Mba Ukweni (SAN) on behalf of Ofuka against the Secretary to the State Government ( SSG), State Security Adviser and others(respondents ) after Ofuka was detained on allegation of murder and conspiracy by Nigeria police.

Ukweni alleged that Ofuka had been framed by state government appointees because of a matter pending at the Effraya High Court in Etung local government area of the state, where it is suspected that Ofuka might defeat the respondents.

Ukweni said, “The first six respondents are worried about the progress of the investigation by the force headquarters, which will certainly reveal the falsity of the petition written by the second written respondent”.

Ofuka, currently recuperating at the Police Medical Hospital Càlabar, spoke with our orrespondent in an emotion ladden voice. Ofuka claimed that all he could remember was that he fell down from the vehicle, hit his head on the floor, and was being dragged by security officials, stressing that he was later told by family members that he was in a coma.

“I was told that they rushed me to Arubah Diagnostics Medical Centre; that’s all I could remember.” Ofuka stressed.