Thursday November 13, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
By Our CORRESPONDENT
The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo on Tuesday again adjourned hearing in a N3Billion fundamental human rights suit filed by three investigative journalists against the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Ekaette F. F. Obot, and senior police officers over alleged unlawful arrest and detention.
The case, with suit number FHC/UY/FHR/74/25, was stalled after the defence counsels failed to regularize their processes as earlier directed by the court.
The applicants; Dennis Udoma (Daily Monitor Newspapers), Tony Nyong (Eagle Online), and Iniobong Ekponta (Leadership Newspapers) all members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, claim they were unlawfully arrested by police operatives on March 28, 2025, on the orders of Justice Obot, while investigating an unfolding news scoop within the State Judiciary.
They were reportedly harassed, intimidated, and detained by personnel of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, led by CSP Kokoete Ebong, acting under instructions from the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Ekaette F. F. Obot and the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State (CP Mohammed Azare).
In their applications filed on July 18, 2025, the journalists are seeking ₦3 billion in exemplary damages (₦1.5 billion against the Chief Judge and ₦0. 5 billion each against the Police and its officers jointly and severally.
They are also asking the court to compel the respondents to tender written apologies, to be published in at least two national newspapers such as ThisDay, The Guardian, or The Punch.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsels to the applicants led by Barr. Fidel Albert, expressed frustration over the respondents’ failure to comply with filing timelines.
“This is a fundamental human rights matter; it ought to be progressing speedily,” Albert told reporters adding that, “Unfortunately, the respondents do not seem anxious to have this case heard on its merits.”
He recalled that, at the previous sitting on October 15, 2025, the respondents had undertaken to file applications to regularize their processes, but failed to do so before the new date.
“The 1st Defendant’s counsel filed his processes since September but withheld service on us until just days ago” stating that, “The Police also failed to serve us any process until the eve of today’s sitting.”
Albert also noted that while counsel previously entered appearance for all four police respondents, only two; the Commissioner of Police and the Nigeria Police Force are now being represented, leaving out the other officers from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit without filed processes.
He sought costs for the repeated adjournments, but the presiding judge, Hon. Justice M. A. Onyetenu ruled that costs would be determined at the conclusion of the matter.
The court subsequently adjourned the case to January 27, 2026, for hearing.
