I was blindfolded, taken to a freshly dug grave, activist recounts 730-day detention by DSS

BY AHERHOKE OKIOMA

Bayelsa youth activist, Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie on Friday told the State High court sitting in Yenagoa of his near death experience in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) stemming from his illegal arrest on the 2nd day of August, 2016 and detention for two years based on the complaint filed by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie made this known while answering questions during continuation of cross examination in the suit numbered YHC/324/2022 against the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Department of the State Security (DSS).

Opumie, while responding to the counsels to the 1st set of defendants, the DSS, insisted that the allegations as contained in the petition to the Bayelsa Command of the Police and the charges filed before the magistrate court in Abuja were confirmation to the involvement of the DSS and the NAOC in his travails.

Opumie faulted the claim of the lead counsel to the DSS, C.S.Eze Esq, that the DSS had no role in his alleged illegal arrest and detention, saying “the DSS played a vital role. If they did not play any role.I shouldn’t have been in the underground cell belonging to the DSS.”

“I was also taken out of my cell around midnight and blindfolded. They took me to the cemetery along Azikoro road. I was taken to a freshly dug grave and was asked to accept the trump up charge that I wanted to bomb Agip facilities or I die and be buried. But I refused. A telephone was handed to me and I spoke with one Barr. Dennis of Agip.”

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Opumie also faulted the claim that he was making up fairy tale stories against the DSS for financial gains and insisted that the Nigerian Agip Oil Company reported him to the police and the DSS,” Agip painted me blue and black before the security agencies and they illegally arrested me in a gestapo style.”

Also during cross examination by the counsel to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Innocent Ekpen Esq, Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie, who admitted that most of the record of conversations and meetings between officials of Agip and the police were lost during his illegal arrest and detention, noted that one Barr. Dennis, who was then a head security department of NAOC, connived with the DSS and Police to illegality arrest and detain him for two years on allege trump up charges.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Ebiyon Duke Charlie, after the conclusion of cross examination from the two sets of defendants, the DSS and NAOC, adjourned the suit till January 19th, 2024.

Speaking at the end of the court sitting, the counsel to the claimant, Ebipreye Sese Esq assured that his client, Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie believes the court is his last resort to get justice over his alleged arrest and detention in an underground detention facility in Abuja for 730 days by the Department of State Security (DSS).

The Bayelsa youth activists Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie, had filed a suit against his illegal arrest and detention with demands for the sum of N9bn in damages.

He is also praying the court to declare that his arrest, torture and subsequent detention without proper food and medical attention and access to family members for two years for false Imprisonment and malicious prosecution.