By Osagie Alonge
Following accusations by popular actor Babtunde Omidina popularly known as Baba Suwe and his counsel accusing the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of maltreating the actor and subsequently announcing a decision to sue the agency, a spokesperson has come out to deny the popular actor’s claim.
Bamidele Aturu, Omidina’s counsel had earlier stated that Baba Suwe’s camp will go ahead to sue the NDLEA for a reported sum of N100M (Hundred Million Naira), accusing the agency of detaining his client (Baba Suwe) for 24 days without any evidence of him breaching the law. The move to sue the NDLEA was heightened after Aturu told Judge Yetunde Idowu that his client was taken to an unidentified hospital without anyone’s consent. Baba Suwe also told the judge that different tests were carried out on him; this included passing a rubber tube through his anus. An NDLEA official present in court confirmed Baba Suwe’s testimony.
‘It’s injustice and not humane, we won’t let this go’, Aturu told Nigerian Entertainment Today after Judge Idowu ordered Baba Suwe’s release.
But the Head, Public Affairs for the NDLEA, Ofoyeju Mitchell has described claims by the comedian that he was treated like a common criminal as ‘untrue’.
‘It is on record that he was treated in accordance with the law, particularly with respect to the observance of his right to human dignity, presumption of innocence, search and other investigative processes in line with best international practices’, Mitchell said in statement issued over the weekend.
‘He acknowledged same in court before the public on Tuesday November 1, 2011. Omidina told the court that he was never harassed in any form by officers and that he was allowed to use his medication regularly. He however added that his breakfast was served late. He was not chained and treated as a common criminal as alleged. The use of hand-cuff or leg chain is to control suspects that are violent and belligerent’, he added.
After spending 24 days in detention, following an airport arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDELA), Baba Suwe walked out of the court a free man on Friday, November 4, 2011 after an Ikeja High Court ordered his release. According to Justice Yetunde Idowu, judgment will be pronounced on Thursday, November 24, 2011.
2 comments
I AS A PERSON SURPORT BABA SUWE TO CHARGE NDLEA BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO ACUSE FOR DRUG BUT THEY ALWAY COLLECT MONEY FROM THEM IS INNOCENT PEOPLE THEY ALWAYS ARRASE WHICH IS BAD EVEN THEY ALWAY EMBARCEMNT WE THAT LIVE IN ABROAD EVERYTIME INCLUDE ALL FORCES IN THE AIRPORT, SO NDLEA MUST PAY BABA SUWE FOR THE EMBARACEMENT AND DAMAGES EVEN THOUGH BABA SUWE DONT EVEN HAVE MONEY TO PAY LAWYER I ALSO WILL SURPORT HIM TO PAY LAWYER . BECAUSE ALL FORCESS IN NIGERIA ARE THIEF AND ARMED ROBBER . WHEN YOU SEE POLICE AND THIEF IS BETTER YOU WAIT FOR THIEF AND RUN AWAY FROM POLICE AND ALL THE REMAINING FORECES. GBOGBO EYIN OLOPA ATI FORCES TI ELO FI IYA AIMO IDI LOJE BABA SUWE OLORUN YIO FI IYA JE GBOGBO YIN PATAPATA NITORI PIPON NI ASO APARO MA NPON ASO YIN LONI FUNFUN LAYE YI ATI LORUN EYIN OLORI BURUKU OLOSI. NITORI BI ESE MA NSE PELU AWA ARA ILU OYINBO NAA NIYEN WAHALA IDAMUN KONI TEN LORO YIN . MOBA YIN TOJU EPE TI OKU DI OJO MIRAN EYIN OLORI BURUKU NDLEA ATI GBOGBO AWON OFFICER OLEE TI OWA NI AIRPORT ATI IGBORO . EJOWO TI EBA BIMI WIPE KILODE TIMO FI NSE EPE FUN GBOGBO AWON AMOFIN YI MARI WII OOO. ODIGBAKAN NAA.
PLEASE I WILL BEG FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA TO KEEPING INVESTIGATE THOSE NDLEA IN THE AIRPORT BECAUSE ALL THIS PEOPLE ALWAYS EMBARACE PEOPLE IMMIDIATELY THEY ASK YOU MONEY AND YOU REFUSE TO GIVE THEM IF YOU ARE A FREQUENT TRAVELLER THEY WILL JUST WAIT FOR YOU ONE DAY TO HOOK YOU WITH SOMETHING . LET ME TELL YOU EXPECIALLY ME I I DONT LIKE THEM BECAUSE ALL THIS FORCES USE TO COLLECT MONEY FROM PEOPLE WITH BY FORCE AND IF THEY PUT YOU IN CORNER THEY SHUT YOU IF YOU REFUSE TO GIVE THEM THE MONEY PLEASE LET GOVT FIND SOLUTION TO ALL THIS ISSUE BECAUSE ALL FORCES ARE THIEF , AND KILLER IN NIGERIA.