Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State has fixed June 4, 2024 for the hearing on the fundamental rights applications filed by some indigenes of the Okuama Community in Ughelli south against the military.
This may not be unconnected to the destruction of the community where the Nigerian Army was slammed with three different lawsuits over alleged destruction and breach of the fundamental rights of the Okuama community and its residents.
The trial judge, Justice I. Sani adjourned to the date after hearing from counsel for the applicants when the case was mentioned on Thursday.
Respondents in the suit were never present neither were they represented in court while members of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) trooped to the court in solidarity with their embattled kinsmen.
The suits were: FHC/WR/CS/41/2024 and FHC/WR/CS/42/2024 and another filed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Suit FHC/WR/CS/41/2024 had Victor Akemor and 16 others as applicants with the Nigerian Army as the respondent.
Similarly, Suit FHC/WR/CS/42/2024 had Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Mr Bernard Esegba and Mr James Oghohoko as applicants while the federal government, chief of defence staff and others as respondents.
In suit FHC/WR/CS/41/2024, the applicants through their lawyer, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo in their application sought the order of the court for 15 prayers.
Among them were: an award of N1 billion against the respondent as “exemplary damage” in favour of the applicants and the residents of the Okuama community, a sum of N1 billion naira as “general damage” against the respondent in favour of the applicants and residents of the Okuama Community.
