The National Drug Law and Enforcement
Agency has said that its operatives did not subject popular actor,
Babatunde Omidina, to physical torture during the period he was
incarcerated by the agency for allegedly being in possession of hard
drugs
Agency has said that its operatives did not subject popular actor,
Babatunde Omidina, to physical torture during the period he was
incarcerated by the agency for allegedly being in possession of hard
drugs
The Head, Public Affairs of the NDLEA,
Mr, Mitchell Ofoyeju, in an interview with PUNCH on
Thursday, reacted to an allegation by Nollywood actor, Yomi Fabiyi, that
Baba Suwe’s health had deteriorated due to torture at the agency.
Mr, Mitchell Ofoyeju, in an interview with PUNCH on
Thursday, reacted to an allegation by Nollywood actor, Yomi Fabiyi, that
Baba Suwe’s health had deteriorated due to torture at the agency.
Fabiyi had, in a statement posted on Instagram
on Wednesday, claimed that Baba Suwe told him that he could no longer
walk properly because a pipe was inserted in his anus during the period
that he was detained by the NDLEA.
on Wednesday, claimed that Baba Suwe told him that he could no longer
walk properly because a pipe was inserted in his anus during the period
that he was detained by the NDLEA.
“He told me that he could no longer feel
comfortable since that episode. Baba Suwe can hardly walk properly as I
speak, let alone go to film. How will he feed and take care of the
children that Aunty Moladun left behind?
comfortable since that episode. Baba Suwe can hardly walk properly as I
speak, let alone go to film. How will he feed and take care of the
children that Aunty Moladun left behind?
“He told me when I visited him that he
was innocent and a long pipe was inserted in his anus. He was detained
for too long, among other things, just because he was randomly suspected
like every normal person.
was innocent and a long pipe was inserted in his anus. He was detained
for too long, among other things, just because he was randomly suspected
like every normal person.
“Torture is criminal and sinful. If this
accusation is found to be true by independent investigators, it
shouldn’t go unpunished,” he had said.
accusation is found to be true by independent investigators, it
shouldn’t go unpunished,” he had said.
But Ofoyeju dismissed the actor’s claims
as false, saying, “The NDLEA did not torture Baba Suwe. If he was
tortured, he would have said it himself. This is just an unfounded
rumour on the social media and it should be disregarded.
as false, saying, “The NDLEA did not torture Baba Suwe. If he was
tortured, he would have said it himself. This is just an unfounded
rumour on the social media and it should be disregarded.
“As a matter of fact, Baba Suwe was
given the best treatment. We treated him with due regard to the
requirement of fundamental human rights globally. He was talking to his
relatives and lawyer. He was never kept in a prison for the period that
he stayed here because he was virtually under our observation.”
given the best treatment. We treated him with due regard to the
requirement of fundamental human rights globally. He was talking to his
relatives and lawyer. He was never kept in a prison for the period that
he stayed here because he was virtually under our observation.”
Also, regarding Fabiyi’s claim that the
NDLEA failed to obey a court order to pay Baba Suwe the sum of N25m in
damages, the spokesman said that the agency was not obliged to obey the
order since a substantive ruling by the Court of Appeal had directed it
not to pay the actor.
NDLEA failed to obey a court order to pay Baba Suwe the sum of N25m in
damages, the spokesman said that the agency was not obliged to obey the
order since a substantive ruling by the Court of Appeal had directed it
not to pay the actor.
“If Baba Suwe had gone to the Supreme Court, perhaps his case would have been upheld. But he did not do so,” Ofoyeju said.