Rebecca Sharibu, mother of Leah Sharibu, one of the abducted 110 schoolgirls abducted from Dapchi in Yobe State by Boko Haram in February has filed a N500 million against the Federal Government.
The terror group returned 104 of the girls but allegedly held on to Leah for refusing to convert from Christianity to Islam.
Mrs Sharibu is, therefore, seeking damage for the government’s inability to secure her daughter’s release.
Named as defendants in the case are the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
In the suit, the plaintiff is seeking compensation for the indignities and human deprivations which she said her daughter has suffered since her abduction.
A copy of the suit, dated September 19, 2018 with no FCH/L/cs/1528/18, filed at the Federal High Court of Nigeria Lagos, was made available to newsmen in Jos on Tuesday.
The reliefs sought were listed as “An order of the Honourable court directing and mandating the defendants to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the plaintiff from the custody of her captors forthwith. An order compelling the defendants to employ every means in securing the plaintiff from the custody of her captors; an order compelling the defendants to pay the plaintiff the sum of N500 million being compensation for the indignities and human deprivations suffered by the plaintiff as a result of the defendants’ dereliction of statutory duties in securing her release from her captors since the month of February, 2018 till date of this action.”
The suit also noted that the defendants might appear by entering appearance personally or by a legal practitioner either by filing the appropriate processes in response at the registry of the court, where the summons was issued or by sending them to that office by any methods allowed by these rules.
It added that if the defendant did not respond within the stipulated time and at the appropriate place, an order would be made and proceeding taken as the judge might think just and expedient.
Meanwhile, in an affidavit supporting the application, one of the plaintiffs and executive director of the US-based Lift-Up-Now Incorporation, Dr Adeniyi Ojutiku, said: “I Dr. Adeniyi Ojutiku, a Nigerian citizen of No. 1316 Shining Water Lane Raleigh, NC 27614, United States of America, do nearby solemnly swear and make oath as follows: That I am an executive director of the Lift-Up-Now Incorporation, herein plaintiff’s 3rd next friend and I am by virtue of this position conversant with the facts herein deposed. That I have the full authority of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiff’s next friends to make this deposition, and the plaintiff’s claim against the defendants is clearly stated in the originating summons filled herein.”
