Activist Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy has reportedly sued the Federal Capital Territory Police to court over the alleged abuse he suffered during the “Resume or Resign” protests on the 8th of August, 2017.
Charly Boy and the OurMumuDonDo movement had protested the prolonged absence of President Muhammadu Buhari from the country at the Freedom Park in Abuja.
The police had however dispersed the group, using water canons and tear gas. Charly Boy had slumped.
He is asking that the police tender a public apology, and pay him the sum of N500 million for damages suffered.
The fundamental rights enforcement suit, filed by his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has the reference number FCT/HC/CV/3037/2017, and includes the FCT Police Commissioner as a respondent, Vanguard reports.
The suit, dated Ocotber 4, 2017, asks the court to determine:
Whether the use of teargas canisters, water cannon and wild police dogs by the agents and officers of the Respondent to attack, harass and disperse members of the OurMumuDonDo movement and Concerned Nigerians group during a peaceful demonstration at the Unity Fountain in Maitama, Abuja is not unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Applicant’s fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association and contrary to Sections 34, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 5, 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Charly Boy has told the court that he is seeking:
An Order compelling the Police to publish a public apology to him in five National Newspapers, and the payment of the sum of N500 million as general damages to him for the violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association on Tuesday, 8th August, 2017 at Unity Fountain in Maitama, Abuja.
Ace musician, Charles Oputa, also known as Charlyboy, alongside his OurMumuDonDo protesters have stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja to demand the repatriation of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
The former Minister who served during the administration of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, is undergoing investigations over alleged fraud committed while she was in office.
Recently, a Lagos Federal High Court ordered the forfeiture of some property linked to Diezani because they were believed to have been acquired using proceeds of stolen wealth.
Details shortly…
Announcing the suspension at Unity Fountain in Abuja on Wednesday, Charly Boy said the next line of action would be made known in the days ahead. He said even though members of the group had received death threats, they were not deterred. .
“We are not deterred by the intimidation and harassment by the sponsored thugs and we cannot be cowed by a few group of people,” he said. “What government want to do is to ensure that we have a clash with the hired crowd and we will not allow that to happen.”
According to him; -
This wasn't an ethnic Protest, but they turned it so. It was a Peaceful Protest, but they made it violent. It wasn't a personal attack on our sick President, but they twisted the matter.
Because I value the lives of the tenacious, consistence, dogged, rugged and focused exceptional Youths. I call off the Resume or Resign sit out. We know the game and we will beat the modaf**kers at it.
This wasn't an ethnic Protest, but they turned it so. It was a Peaceful Protest, but they made it violent. It wasn't a personal attack on our sick President, but they twisted the matter.
Because I value the lives of the tenacious, consistence, dogged, rugged and focused exceptional Youths. I call off the Resume or Resign sit out. We know the game and we will beat the modaf**kers at it.
#OurMumuDonDo
Charly boy and his men entered Wuse market in Abuja mid-morning on Tuesday but what ensued afterwards was a clash that eventually assumed ethnic dimension.
Charly Boy has been leading a protest against President Muhammadu Buhari to either resume or resign. According to ICIR that Charly Boy rode into the market on a power bike, accompanied by two cars. When he alighted, people started gathering around him.
Within few minutes, a huge crowd had formed around him and he started addressing them. While Charly Boy was still talking to the crowd, some people started throwing sachet water at him and shouting “Sai Baba” in apparent support of Buhari who has been abroad on medical vacation for 100 days.
One of the witnesses said the men who were throwing water went ahead to grab and tear Charly Boy’s shirt. Those attacking him were identified as “Hausa boys”.
Another witness said Igbo traders intervened to free Charly Boy from the crowd and he was able to escape with the aid of his power bike.
The irate men then vented their anger by vandalising the two cars left behind by the entertainer. This created pandemonium, which led to the closure of the market. Witnesses said as the market was closed and the so-called Hausa boys gathered by the entrance of the market, chanting “Sai Baba” and making anti-Igbo comments
“The Hausa boys started throwing stones at Igbo traders who were in a garden opposite the market,” the witness, a trader, said. “The Igbo responded by throwing the stones back at them.”
With this unfolding violence, people started running away to direct directions.
A man was said to have been critically wounded by the stones and the police rushed him to hospital. Many others were wounded.
‘TRAFFIC POLICEMEN RAN AWAY’
Witness said when the exchange of stones became intense, the traffic welders at the market junction ran away, saying they did not have guns to confront the rising violence.
It was confirmed that three policemen accompanied Charly Boy to the market, but they were unable to do anything.
The witness said there were other policemen who had guns were at the entrance of the market at the start of the violent exchange of stones, but they were probably outnumbered to do anything, thereby leaving the situation to degenerate.
When the ICIR arrived the scene, a crowd was advancing from the market towards the Berger Junction, some of them wielding sticks.
A reinforcement of policemen and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) eventually quelled the violence.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and rights activist, Femi Falana, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to apologise to popular musician, Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy and other members of #OurMumuDonDo protesters over treatment meted to the group by the police during their protest in Abuja last week.
Falana said President Muhammadu Buhari should be embarrassed over the manner the police treated #OurMumuDonDo protesters. The group had on Monday last week began its protest with a call on the president to resume or resign if he could no longer lead the country.
On Tuesday, officers of the police force disrupted the protest, claiming to have received a hint that it was going to be hijacked by hoodlums. Falana, in a statement yesterday, cited instances where President Buhari led similar protests as a private citizen without harassment or assault from the police.
“It is pertinent to remind the presidency and the Nigeria Police Force that President Buhari had, in the recent past, taken part in peaceful rallies in Abuja to protest alleged manipulation of election results and perceived injustice in the country.
“It is on record that as he exercised his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly with other Nigerians on such occasions, he was never subjected to any form of assault or intimidation by the police.”
The rights activist slammed the police for allegedly providing ‘adequate security’ to the pro-Buhari demonstrators while harassing the anti-Buhari protesters.
“By providing ‘adequate security’ for the pro-Buhari demonstrators while harassing the anti-Buhari protesters, the police engaged in the violation of section 42 of the constitution which has prohibited discrimination on grounds of political opinion.
“To that extent, the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force should apologise to Mr. Charlie Oputa and other members of the #OurMumuDonDo.
“No doubt, the violent disruption of the anti-Buhari rally ought to have embarrassed President Buhari who had advised (former) President Yar’ Adua, in a similar situation, to step aside as he could no longer discharge the duties and functions of his office,” Falana recalled.
He gave the example of a September 2003 protest by the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) which was disrupted.
“The police authorities justified the disruption by claiming that the organisers of the rally did not obtain a police permit. Completely aggrieved by the action of the police, Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the ANPP instructed our law firm to sue the IGP to justify the legal validity of asking for police permit before protesting against the government.”
Falana recalled that the presiding judge of the case had identified protests “as a recognized form of expression in a democracy.”
The Nigerian Police command in the Federal Capital Territory has released a statement explaining why its men attacked #Mumudondo protesters on their second day of protest. The group led by Charlyboy Oputa were attacked by the police who used teargas, water canon and unleashed police dogs at them.
Charlyboy reportedly fainted in the incident with a newsman rushed to the hospital after police dog attacked him, according to reports. The protesters came out to protest President Muhammadu Buhari's continued stay in London which is now over 90 days.
Here is the police statement:
The FCT Police Command in the early hours of today 8th August, 2017 intervened and prevented breakdown of law and order, and disturbance of public peace in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja by dispersing some miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements that have infiltrated the protest being carried out by a group of concerned Nigerians under the auspices of Our-Mumu-Don-do Movement at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja.
It will be recalled that “Our-Mumu-Don-do Movement” carried out their protest on Monday 7th August, 2017 at the same venue and were accorded necessary Police presence to safe guard public safety and public peace, and protect their rights to freedom of expression, rights to peaceful Assembly and Association, and right to freedom of movement as provided for in sections 39, 40, and 41 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
However, today 8th August, 2017 the same group assembled at the same venue but allowed miscreants, hoodlums and other unruly individuals to infiltrate the protests, who started blocking the major roads adjoining the Unity fountain, obstructing traffic and preventing movements of other innocent citizens from going to their means of livelihood, and thereby exhibiting unruly behaviours and other violent acts very likely to cause the breakdown of law and order and disturbance of public peace. The Police personnel intervened at the point that the concerned Nigerians Group lost control of the crowd and prevented miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements from hijacking the protest to cause mayhem and chaos.
It is pertinent to state here that the FCT Police command is fully aware and recognizes the constitutional rights of every citizen including “ Our Mumu Dondo group” to assemble and move freely in any part of the Federal Capital Territory, but the command will not allow any protest under any guise to turn violent and jeopardise the prevailing peace, law and order currently being enjoyed in the FCT. The command wishes to assure all residents and visitors to the territory of adequate security and protection of lives and property of everyone including those who choose to express their constitutional rights of protest with decorum.
Consequently, members of the public, parents and guardians, religious/opinion leaders and other interest groups are advised to prevail on their children and wards, followers and adherents not to allow themselves to be used by any group to cause disturbance of public peace and break down of law and order.
Popular musician, Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charly Boy on Tuesday slumped after inhaling tear gas canisters shot at him and other protesters demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari resumes office or resigns if incapable of continuing his duties as president of Nigeria.
The daily sit-out was organized by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, led by Charly Boy and Deji Adeyanju, one of the conveners and others, on Monday and which continued on Tuesday at the Abuja House in London and at the Millennium park, opposite the Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja in Nigeria.
But, things turned sour when the anti-riot policemen began firing tear gas canisters and high velocity stream of water to disperse them. The police also unleashed dogs at the protesters.
Also, a journalist covering the incident also got wounded. Deji Adeyanju, tweeted a video of their visit to a Silverbird Journalist and another wounded citizen at a clinic situated at the Federal Secretariat complex.
The protesters lamented that Buhari is setting a bad example after staying away from the country for over 90 days now. They also accused his aides and associates of stage managing Buhari’s health status and failing to open up to Nigerians to the true situation with the president.
Watch video below:
One of Nigeria’s most controversial entertainers, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy has taken body piercing and tattooing to a new high.
The 65-year-old announced on Sunday that he has tattooed his children’s names on his arm and he also pierced his testes. He made the shocking revelation via his Instagram page while sharing photos of himself and a man who apparently carried out the piercing.
“My Body is in shock. Pierced my blokus today. More balls to the ball,” Charlyboy wrote.
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