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Extra-judicial Killing: Falana Sues Army Staff, Others Over Murder Of Police Officer

Published

2 years ago

May 26, 2023

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has filed a lawsuit against the Chief of Army Staff over “the extra-judicial killing of Inspector Monday Orukpe at the Trade Fair section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Area of Lagos State in August 2022 in the course of his official duties.”

10 other army officers, joined in the suit as respondents.

The suit was filed on Thursday on behalf of Favour Monday for the enforcement of her husband’s fundamental human rights to life, the dignity of the human person, private and family life and presumption of innocence.

Monday has four children with Inspector Monday Orukpe: Divine Monday (15 years old), Emmanuel Monday (12 years old), Praise Monday and Covenant Monday (one year old).

In the suit, Falana is arguing that “It is clear beyond doubt that the deceased’s fundamental rights have been grossly violated and on the strength of the facts and exhibits contained in the affidavit in support, the legal argument canvassed in this suit”.

Falana noted that, “A man should be allowed to thread Nigeria soil and breathe Nigeria air until the Court finds him unworthy to so do. The Respondent’s agents have no right to sniff life out of the deceased extra-judicially as they have done in this case.”

The suit partly reads, “We graciously pray my Lord to so hold and grant the reliefs as sought in the statement accompanying this application. On the whole, we urge your Lordship to find that this application has merit and in finding as such make the declarations and orders sought herein.

“The Applicant is a Nigerian, a resident of Ota in Ogun State and the wife of Inspector Monday Orukpe who was gruesomely murdered by the agents of the 1st Respondent.

“The deceased; Inspector Monday Orukpe was an inspector of police with the Trade Fair Police Divisional Headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command murdered on August 3, 2022, along Lagos/Badagry Expressway, Lagos while carrying out his official duties as a police officer.

“The deceased; Inspector Monday Orukpe was entitled to his right to life, the dignity of his person, fair hearing and presumption of innocence guaranteed by Sections 33, 34 and 36 (1) and (5) of Nigeria (As Amended) and Articles 4, 5 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (CAP A10) LFN 2004.

“The extra-judicial killing of the Applicant’s husband: Inspector Monday Orukpe by armed agents of the 1st Respondent at the Lagos/Badagry Expressway of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, violates the deceased’s fundamental right to life guaranteed by Section 33 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999 (As Amended) and Article 4 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.

“The brutalization and indiscriminate killing of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the Respondents at the Lagos/Badagry Expressway of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, oppressive, illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void as it violates the deceased’s fundamental right to the dignity of the human person.

“The extra-judicial murder of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the Respondents at the Lagos/Badagry Expressway of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, oppressive, illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void as it violates the deceased’s fundamental right to fair hearing and presumption of innocence.

“The extra-judicial killing of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the Respondents at the Lagos/Badagry Expressway of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 is wrongful, oppressive, illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void as it violates the fundamental right to private and family life of the deceased, the Applicant and their children.

“The Applicant is entitled to an order of this Honourable Court mandating the Respondents to set up a special education fund of not less than N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) through the registry of this Honourable Court in favour of the children of late Inspector Monday Orukpe and the Applicant, sufficient to cater for their educational needs from primary school to University in any educational institution she may wish to attend.

“The Applicant is entitled to an order of this Honourable Court compelling the Respondents to jointly and severally pay to the Applicant the sum of N200, 000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) as general and aggravated damages for the illegal violation of the fundamental rights to life, the dignity of the person and presumption of innocence of Inspector Monday Orukpe; their breadwinner.

“The Constitution being the grundnorm is Supreme. Section 1 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) guarantees in clear terms the supremacy of the Constitution. The provisions of the Constitution have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the sovereign geographical entity known as Nigeria.

“The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria has in Chapter IV, Sections 33,34, 35, 36, and 37 provided for the right to life, the dignity of a person, fair hearing, the right to presumption of innocence and the right to private and family life respectively.

“In the same vein, Articles 2, 4, 5, 7; (1) (b) & (2) and 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act provides for the rights to life, dignity of the human person, fair hearing, presumption of innocence and private and family life respectively.

“The right to human life is the highest in the hierarchy of rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which explains the reason why same is listed as the first among the fundamental rights encapsulated in Chapter 4 of the Constitution.

“This right once taken away can never be restored save for the award of damages and or other reliefs to assuage the wrong done to the person (s) who has (have) an interest in the continuous existence of the deceased.

“The right to life can never be quantified in terms of monetary damages and the agony/wrong suffered by the society, the deceased and the loved ones of the deceased can never be fully recompensed.

“The right of the deceased-patriotic and diligent police officer, Inspector Monday Orukpe to private and family life which is entrenched and protected variously in Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 18 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.”

The Applicant is seeking the following reliefs:

“A declaration that the extra-judicial killing of the Applicant’s husband, Inspector Monday Orukpe by the 2nd to 11th Respondents at the Trade Fair section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Area of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, unlawful and illegal as it violates the deceased’s fundamental right to life guaranteed by Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999 (As Amended) and Article 4 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.

“A declaration that the torture and assault of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the 2nd to 11th Respondents at the Trade Fair section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Area of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, unlawful and illegal as it violates the deceased’s fundamental right to the dignity of the human person guaranteed by Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999 (As Amended) and Article 5 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.

“A declaration that the extra-judicial killing of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the 2nd to 11th Respondents at the Trade Fair section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Area of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, unlawful and illegal as it violates the deceased’s fundamental right to fair hearing and presumption of innocence guaranteed by Section 36 (1), (5)of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999 (As Amended) and Articles 7 (1) (b) and (2) of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.

“A declaration that the extra-judicial killing of the Applicant’s husband; Inspector Monday Orukpe by the 2nd to 11th Respondents at the Trade Fair section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Area of Lagos State on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, is wrongful, oppressive and unlawful as it violates the fundamental human right to private and family life of the deceased, the Applicant and their children guaranteed by Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) 1999 (As Amended) and Article 18 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.

“An order of this Honourable Court mandating the Respondents to set up a special education fund of not less than N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) through the registry of this Honourable Court in favour of the children of late Inspector Monday Orukpe and the Applicant, sufficient to cater for their educational needs from primary school to University in any educational institution they may wish to attend.

“An order of this Honourable Court compelling the Respondents to jointly and severally pay to the Applicant the sum of N200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) as general and aggravated damages for the illegal violation of the fundamental rights to life, the dignity of the person and presumption of innocence of Inspector Monday Orukpe; their breadwinner.

“And any other order(s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of the case.”

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

VANGUARD

News

IGP Appoints New Force PRO

Published

1 hour ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has approved the appointment of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Benjamin Hundeyin as the new Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO).

Hundeyin, a graduate of English Language from Lagos State University, also holds a Master’s degree in Legal Criminology and Security Psychology from the University of Ibadan. He further obtained a Certificate in Civil-Military Coordination from the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Training Centre, Jaji, Kaduna State.

The new FPRO is an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), a Member of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM).

A seasoned communicator, Hundeyin previously served as the Police Public Relations Officer at Zone 2 Command, Lagos, and later at the Lagos State Police Command.

He was also part of Nigeria’s contingent to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur, Sudan, in 2020, and at different times worked at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, as Administration Officer in the Public Relations Department.

The IGP urged Hundeyin to deploy his wealth of experience in communications and security to further strengthen the image of the Nigeria Police Force and sustain robust relations with the public.

He takes over from DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who served as Force PRO until his redeployment.

News

Jonathan In Edo, Says Nigeria’s Politics Full Of Betrayals

Published

2 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has decried the level of betrayal and lies in Nigeria’s political atmosphere.

Jonathan spoke in Benin on Thursday at the 70th birthday ceremony of his former Chief of Staff and former deputy governor of Edo State, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe.

Jonathan, who described Ogiadomhe as an ally that can be trusted all time, added: “One of the few friends that gave up their necks when I became president, is Mike. You know politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals.

“You find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and in the evening. I’ve witnessed a lot of betrayals, especially my 2015 elections, and Mike is somebody who would take a bullet on my behalf.

“He is somebody that you can take his word to the bank; most other politicians, you cannot take their words to the bank. They will tell you something, the next one hour they are saying another”.

On his part, deputy governor of Edo State, Dennis Idahosa, who represented Governor Monday Okpebholo, said the foundation Ogiadomhe laid as deputy is what is still being followed.

Lucky Igbinedion on his part said he had no reservation handing over the affairs of the state to Ogiadomhe as his deputy governor when he needed to travel abroad.

Also speaking former governor of the state and senator representing Edo North, Comrade Adams Oahiomhole said whenever he discussed politics with the celebrant, he always told him that wherever Jonathan is, is where he would be.

He commended his wife, Lousia for being a dependable wife.

The birthday celebration attracted many dignitaries including former governors Lucky Igbinedion, Professor Osarhiemen Osunbor, Adams Oahiomhole and Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe State.

Others included former deputy governors including Rev. Peter Obadan, Pius Odubu, Marvelous Omobayo, Chief Judge of Edo State Daniel Okungbowa, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku who led other members of the assembly, traditional rulers among others.

News

ITF Warns Organisations, Employers Against Rejection Of IT Students

Published

7 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has warned organisations and employers nationwide against rejecting students seeking attachment for their Industrial Training (IT) exercises.

ITF Area Manager in Bauchi, Dr Ashore Paul, issued the warning on Thursday during the orientation exercise for prospective IT students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.

Represented by Mrs Nanzem Yilshuut, Head of Training at the ITF Bauchi Area Office, Paul said that “the act establishing the Fund mandates every organisation to accept students for industrial attachment.”

He further stated that any employer or organisation found in breach of these provisions was liable to conviction and sanctions.

Paul also urged the prospective IT students to adhere to the rules and regulations of any organisation they joined and to be willing to learn and fulfill their responsibilities.

“When these students come back, we expect that there is a difference.

“They should have learned something new because definitely, what they learned in school, would be expected to be put into practicals.

“This will help them in their academics and also assist them in their future endeavours.

“They must participate 100 per cent, they must be disciplined and they must be willing to learn.

“We go round to ensure that they are doing what they are expected to do at their places of attachment.

“When we go for supervision, we ensure that what they are learning is in line with their courses,” he said.

The Rector of the institution, Sani Usman, said that the industrial attachment was an activity that enabled polytechnics to fulfill their mandate as technology and skill-driven institutions.

“Our students are given industrial experience during their first year so as to be registered in their minds that all of them are meant to be skilled class men and women and that is why the industrial attachment is very important.

“It enables them to build on what they have learned in their respective classrooms and practicals during the year,” he said.

Usman emphasised the importance of proper supervision during industrial training.

According to him, it will ensure students not only attend their placements but also carry out their assigned tasks effectively.

“The supervision is also to see that the employers or the places they have been sent to do their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) do not exploit them to the level that is not required by the institution”, he said.

He further revealed that 3,000 students across all departments in the institution were going for this year’s SIWES.