Richard Abbey: Rivers pipeline contractor drags DSS to court, demands N500m as damages for unlawful arrest, detention
Mr Richard Abbey JP, a pipeline surveillance contractor in Bonny local government area of Rivers State, has dragged the Department of State Services (DSS), the State Director, Department of State Services, Rivers State Command, and Mr. Basir Yasser, Head of Operations and Intelligence (O&I), Department of State Services, Rivers State Command over his recent arrest and detention.
In a suit marked PHC/2462/FHR/2022 filed through Barr. Ajayi Olusegun in the Rivers State High Court, Richard Abbey accused the DSS, the state director of the service as well as Mr. Yasser of breaching his fundamental rights and demanded for N500 million as damages.
The Port Harcourt home of Abbey, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Ricardo Security Services Ltd, was invaded by a combined team of security operatives comprising the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police on Saturday July 16, 2022, who arrested him without a warrant, damaging his property and personal belongings in the process.Ajayi Olusegun, Richard Abbey’s lawyer, told our correspondent on Monday that his client’s where-about and wellbeing were unknown until three weeks and three days after when he was released on bail by the DSS.
Olusegun said he and Richard Abbey’s family members were at the DSS facility at Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt, throughout the period of 24 days he was forcefully taken away to find out the reason for his arrest and detention, but they not only denied access to him but also the opportunity of knowing the reason for his arrest and detention.
“Throughout the period of his detention, he was never told why he was arrested and who petitioned him, or what the evidence against him was. Our client is now asking for soothing reliefs, including N500 million as exemplary damages against the the DSS and their accomplices”, Olusegun said.
Meanwhile, the pipeline surveillance contractor has revealed reasons behind his sojourn to the DSS’ custody. In an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, Abbey said that the last operation he carried out against the activities of illegal oil bunkers and artisanal refiners of crude oil on Sunday, November 21, 2021 might have been responsible for his recent arrest and detention.
Richard Abbey, whose company, Ricardo Security Services Ltd, has security vetting and clearance from the DSS Headquarters in Abuja, said his fight against illegal oil bunkering is well known to everyone in Rivers State, including the security agencies and other stakeholders.
He disclosed that his stance against illegal oil bunkering in Bonny Island and environs was what pitched him against the cartel destroying the Niger Delta environment through what he described as “kpo fire”.
“Everybody knows I am against illegal bunkering. From the DSS to the Army, police and Navy including the government, they all know. The head of DSS in Bonny at that time was also very aware. It was after I destroyed a Cotonou boat that was used for bunkering in front of Coal Beach close to Ogbonga that some illegal bunkers became angry with me.
“I am calling on Governor Nyesom Wike, the DG of DSS, the IGP and the Nigerian military high command to ask them who owns that Cotonou boat and the products inside when it was impounded. We caught the boat at the loading point. It was opposite Coal Beach jetty and everybody knows, let the JTF and DSS tell them who owns the boat,” Richard Abbey explained.
In another development, the pipeline surveillance contractor, who noted that he was currently receiving treatment for the injuries inflicted on him during his arrest and incarceration accused the DSS of collusion with a man (names withheld) currently being prosecuted for stealing by the Police in Charge No. AMC/42/C/2022, adding that the man’s wife works as an ad hoc nurse at the DSS Clinic in Port Harcourt.
“We know this guy, he is being prosecuted as we speak by the Police for stealing; but because his wife works as an ad hoc nurse in their (DSS) Clinic in Port Harcourt, they’re taking sides with him. Otherwise, why would they ask me to drop charges against him as a condition for my release?”
“I have instructed my lawyer to demand claims of damages to the tune of N500 million and they must pay me. What they did was illegal and not just contravention of the laws of this country but also a violation of my rights as a citizen and they must pay me.”
Efforts by this reporter to speak with the offices of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army and the police in Port Harcourt on the matter were unsuccessful, as of the time of filing this report.
It was gathered that August 17, 2022 has been fixed for further hearing of the matter.
Richard Abbey is the Team Lead for the Bonny Kingdom Freedom to Operate Committee (BKFTO), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, King Dr. Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, to ensure ease of doing business for companies coming into Bonny and to create positive linkages and framework between the companies and communities.
