Journalist sues Nigerian Customs Service for assault

A N500 million criminal suit has been filed by the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) against the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, over the brutal assault of Yomi Olomofe, a journalist at Seme border post of the NCS last year.

Yomi Olomofe was severely beaten on June 22, 2015 by hoodlums believed to be working for the NCS at Seme border and was left him in a pool of blood at a refuse dump.

In a suit filed by Mr. Jiti Ogunye on behalf of the NUJ and the brutalised journalist, the applicant is asking for N500 million as special and exemplary damages for the violation of the applicant’s rights.

The Comptroller of Customs, Mohammed Ndalati; Deputy Comptroller, Emmanuel Nkemdirim; Assistant Comptroller, Ibrahim Turaki and the Comptroller General, Ahmed Ali are joint respondents. 

Others are the Nigerian Customs Service, Chief Sam of Ibiye, Alhaji Momoh (aka Basket), Mr. Shehu and Mr. Elijah.

In the suit, the applicant asked the Court for a declaration that the beating meted out to him by the respondents, on June 25, 2015 in the premises of the NCS, Seme, was “capable of infringing on his right to life as guaranteed by Section 33 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.”