The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Bem Angwe, has summoned the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, over allegations of human rights violation reportedly perpetrated against an estate developer, Lexy Nigeria Limited and its personnel.

The company’s Managing Director, Prince Leye Adetipe, in company of other workers of the firm, had on Monday thronged the commission with a complaint against the Naval Chief, the Managing Director of Naval Building and Construction Company, Lt.-Commodore Abdul Adamu and men of the Nigerian Navy over alleged infringement of their human rights.

While receiving the petition from the complainants on Monday, Prof. Angwe said the commission would give the naval authorities the opportunity to state their own side of the issue.

He noted that the commission would study the petition and give all parties fair hearing with a view to determining the dispute in the most suitable manner, adding that the commission will not hesitate to award damages where it deemed necessary.

“In Nigeria today, there is no individual or organisation that is above the law. We are determined to put impunity to an end in line with the laws establishing the commission,” Angwe declared.

In the petition, Mr. Adetipe said his firm, Lexy Nigeria Limited, had on 19 May, 2015, entered into a joint venture agreement with the Naval Building and Construction Company Limited in respect of the development of Navy Town Estate in Asokoro, Abuja after a Board Resolution of the Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited was passed.

However, contrary to the joint venture agreement to maintain a single bank account with Access Bank Plc, the naval authorities opened an account with another bank where it allegedly kept the proceeds from the joint venture and made itself the sole signatory.

He further alleged that armed naval personnel invaded the project site on 19 February this year, and forcibly ejected his workers out of the property, adding that all efforts by his firm to resolve the dispute proved abortive as the Navy declined their overtures.

Adetipe urged the commission to award the sum of N10 billion as damages and grant a restraining injunction against the naval authorities from further tampering with his firm’s activities on the project.

•Sourced from The AUTHORITY. Photo shows Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.

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