By Tunde Opeseitan
Lagos — The fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by a Nigerian, Jacob Olukunle Ajomale, who is in court on the allegations that a tracking device was inserted in his body by United States officials, suffered another delay at the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday as one of the defendants, United Airlines, pleaded for time to put in necessary processes.
Ajomale is claiming in the suit that officials of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forcefully inserted the said tracking device in his body through his anus and illegally transported him to Nigeria via an aircraft operated by United Airlines.
When the case came up before Justice Mohammed Idris, United Airlines' lawyer, W.A. Esan, urged the court to grant a short adjournment to file her process.
She said her office was briefed about two days before the hearing, and considering the fact that some of the complaints occurred in the United States, she had requested for documents from her client to defend the suit.
In response, Ajomale's lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), said the fact that he had always been an advocate of fair hearing meant that he would not oppose the application for adjournment. The matter was adjourned to August 11, 2015 for hearing.
In the suit, Ajomale is asking an order of court compelling the Nigerian government to drag the United States before the United Nations and other international communities
He is specifically asking the court to compel the Nigerian government to further his cause before the international community against the United States, with a view to looking into the allegation of inhuman treatment suffered in the hands of ICE officers since 2010.
Joined as respondents in the suit are United Airlines, Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He is demanding $100 million and N100 million damages for the violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of human person and right to mental and physical health as guaranteed by Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution and Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
United Airlines was sued for allegedly allowing Ajomale to be illegally flown into Nigeria without his passport, like a criminal, in the aircraft, while the officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were said to have allowed the ICE officers to dump Ajomale in Nigeria without proper documentation and questioning, even when their attention was drawn to the situation.
Ajomale is alleging that he was being victimised for exposing a senior ICE official who demanded bribe from him to be let off the hook in a separate case
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