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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

SEC Bans CEOs From Becoming Chairmen Without 3-year Break

Published

4 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Editor

The Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a new directive prohibiting Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors from immediately assuming the position of Board Chairman within the same company or group after leaving office.

A mandatory three-year “cool off period” has been introduced before such transitions can take place.

The directive is part of a wider effort to strengthen corporate governance and prevent the concentration of power in public companies and capital market operators deemed to be of significant public interest.

This was disclosed in a circular released by the Commission and signed by the management on Thursday on its website titled “Circular to All Public Companies and Capital Market Operators on the Transmutation of Independent Non-Executive Directors and Tenure of Directors.”

The SEC expressed concern over what it described as a “worrying trend of the transmutation/conversion of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) to Executive Directors, including to the position of the Chief Executive Officer.”

It warned that such practices undermine board independence.

The Circular reads,”This practice clearly erodes the neutrality of the transmuting INEDs, compromises their ability going forward to provide objective judgment and is generally antithetical to the principles which underpin independent directorship as outlined in both the National Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) as well as the SEC Corporate Governance Guidelines (SCGG).”

As a result, the Commission has directed the immediate discontinuance of the conversion of INEDs into Executive Directors within the same company or group structure.

The new rules also introduce strict tenure limits. Directors in Capital Market Operators considered to be of significant public interest will now be limited to 10 consecutive years in the same company, and 12 years within the same group structure.

“A Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director who steps down after 10 or 12 consecutive years, as the case may be, cannot be appointed as Chairman until the expiration of a 3-year ‘cool off period’.

“The tenure of such former Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director as Chairman shall be for a maximum of 4 years and no more.”

The SEC said these changes are backed by its powers under Section 355(r)(iv) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, which authorises it to set governance standards for regulated entities.

“The foregoing directives take immediate effect and compliance is mandatory. Public Companies and Capital Market Operators are therefore required to take the directives into account in their board appointments and succession planning,” the statement added.

The Commission also clarified that years already served by current officeholders will count toward the newly established tenure caps.

News

We’ve Initiated Policies, Reforms For Sustainable Health Delivery System — Edo Deputy Gov

Published

6 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has
said that the Senator Monday Okpebholo-led administration has initiated policies and reforms that will ensure a sustainable healthcare delivery system.

Idahosa stated this while chairing the second meeting of the state taskforce on Primary Health Care (PHC), at the New Festival Hall, Government House in Benin.

According to statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Friday Aghedo, the meeting included the taskforce members, stakeholders, and developmental partners.

In his keynote address, the deputy governor called for societal vigilance and surveillance to help curtail the effects of the outbreak of Dengue Fever and Diphtheria.

He mentioned that the state was putting up concerted efforts at building a responsive and resilient PHC system.

He encouraged members of the taskforce to be solutions driven, as well as be an instrument of change in their quest to disseminate, enlighten and champion a result driven health process that benefits locals across the eighteen local government areas.

He noted that the plan was to make primary healthcare the most accessible form of healthcare in the state to aid better maternal and health outcomes.

Idahosa singled out and commended the Egor local government chairman, Hon. Kelvin Eguaekun, for his concerted effort to network and maintain cleanliness in his council area.

Idahosa informed the state government move to implement a reward system for local government chairmen who play critical roles in their domains by disseminating and implementing processes that showcase the benefits of a cleaner environment to drive down diseases.

Amongst chairmen who pledged to implement reached decisions at the stakeholders meeting included Hon. Haruna Mohammed of Owan East and Hon. Joy Ohonyor of Owan West.

News

What We’ve Done So Far To Curtail Ravaging Dengue Fever, Diphtheria – Edo Govt

Published

7 hours ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Edo State government said measures have been put in place to combat the outbreak of Dengue Fever and Diphtheria.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, disclosed this during a meeting with the state deputy governor and taskforce on Primary Health Care (PHC), at the New Festival Hall, Government House in Benin

He said the government has made donations of medical supplies to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) as part of the intervention.

Oshiomhole listed the medical supplies to include hospital beds, mattresses, oxygen cylinders, intravenous fluids, and and erythromycin, among others.

Dr. Oshiomhole also mentioned that the state received support of twenty doses of Diphtheria antitoxins from Delta state government.

“We also want to commend the UBTH, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and development partners such as UNICEF, WHO for their collaborative efforts and provision of technical support to combat the disease.

“NCDC provided the state with diphtheria antitoxins and intravenous erythromycin and other logistics.

“In addition, NCDC team is presently on ground to do a verbal autopsy of some of the current victims of the Diphtheria outbreak,” he stated.

He noted that the state is also faced with dengue fever which has led to the emphasis on the need for a cleaner environment.

Oshiomhole also reminded on Lassa fever whose outbreak can be controlled to an extent through environmental cleanliness.

The commissioner explained the reactive vaccination for teens from ages 5-14 in schools based on the outbreak of Diphtheria in six council areas of the state.

He harped on the need for contact tracing in neighborhoods and schools in order to track and vaccinate high-risk people, front liners, and high-risk personalities in society.

Earlier, Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Coulsen Oisokhai, called for collaboration with civil society organizations and development partners to strengthen relationships.

Speaking on behalf of implementing partners, Dr. Nora Eyo of the WHO harped on vaccine hesitancy as a major challenge faced in Edo State.

She pointed out the prevalence of waste dumps in residential buildings in the state as a challenge to sound health.