BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

WARRI:   A rights lawyer in Warri, Delta state Bar Oghenejabor Ikimi has enjoined the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General to investigate  alleged brutalization of  his client Mr Freedom Odiete by  his men in  Warri.

In a petition to the Chief of Army Staff supported with photographs of  his brutalized client,  Bar Ikimi said  the army chief should order an unbiased investigation into the alleged act of his men so that those found culpable should be sanctioned in line with noble military tradition.

His words in parts  :“  Our Client has briefed our Law Firm to put up this petition to your esteemed office in a bid to cause a thorough and unbiased investigation into the unlawful arrest, severe torture and stigmatization meted to Our Client by ( name withheld)  and his Men whose unprofessional conduct contravenes all military norms and ethics. We therefore call on you to Order an independent and impartial investigation into the above incident in a bid to Court Martialling any person found culpable so as to discourage indiscipline in the Nigerian Army.

We trust in your abilities in the above regard as justice delayed is justice denied.

It is our brief that at about 11:30am same day, Our Client was intercepted at the popular Jigbale Market, Ovwian, Delta State by some soldiers numbering about eight, led by ( name with held)  at the 3 battalion, Effurun Barracks who ordered Our Client on gun point to come down from his vehicle and enter the Hilux van conveying the soldiers. An order Our Client complied with and was thus whisked away to the Army Barracks, Effurun by the said rampaging soldiers.

It is our brief that at the said Barrack, Our Client was stripped naked by the said soldiers after which Our Client’s legs and hands were handcuffed by the soldiers led by ( name withheld) who severely tortured Our Client by flogging him intermittently for about an hour, during which time the said soldiers ordered Our Client to tell them the whereabouts of the above suspect or else Our Client would be shot to death by them and that nothing would happen. Our Client informed the said soldiers that he knows nothing about the whereabouts of the suspect. “