by Seyi Lawal

Comedian Babatunde Omidina, also known as Baba Suwe, will be suing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for a sum of N1 billion for unlawful arrest and detention. According to a News Agency of Nigeria -NAN report, the comedian, who has been in the agency’s custody for over a week will be asking for compensation from NDLEA. His lawyer Mohammed Bashir, in a phone interview yesterday Wednesday October 19, told NAN “we will be filing the suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos between now and Monday.”

“We will be asking for N1 billion as compensation for damages suffered by him due to his illegal arrest and detention, as well as the embarrassment and defamation done to his reputation as a result of the incident,” he said

He also confirmed that the comedian had made the third excretion under the agency’s watch and no drugs were ejected yet the agency refuses to cut the comedian loose. Bashir added that Omidina was also denied access to him, his lawyer, which is also an infringement on his fundamental human right.

“I have visited the place twice since he was detained but was turned back and prevented from seeing my client. This denial of access to my client is another violation of his fundamental human rights,” Bashir lamented.

Omidina was arrested last Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 10pm while he was about to board an Air France aircraft to Paris. The drug agency had claim a scan showed he had substances suspected to be outlawed drugs concealed in his stomach.

Oluwapelumi