By Ike Uchechukwu

CALABAR—An aide to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Mr. Daniel Cobham and two others have dragged the Nigerian Navy to court over alleged abuse of their fundamental human rights by arresting and detaining them in a Gestapo manner for more than 80 days.

Vanguard gathered that the arrest and subsequent detention of Mr. Cobham  who works as a Protocol Officer with the governor was carried out on December 9, 2017 at his residence, 7 Mesembe Avenue, Off Jebs Road,  Calabar.

In the suit against the Chief of Naval Staff, Defence Headquarters, Abuja, the Commander NNS Anansa and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, the applicants, through their counsel are demanding  their immediate release to the police without further delay.

Speaking with Vanguard, counsel to Cobham, Fidelis  Onyebueke said the arrest and detention of his client was unconstitutional and illegal,  adding that he has been kept incommunicado for about three months.

He added: “The continuous detention of Mr. Cobham and keeping him incommunicado without his family having access to him since December 9, 2017 is unconstitutional, null and void as it is against the law. They should be produced and released to the police or other prosecuting authority for the purpose of prosecuting them if they have committed any offence.”