A legal practitioner based in Lagos, Barrister Ademola Odusote, has instituted a legal action against the embattled Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, the Nigerian Police Force and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
In an originating summon dated 20th November, 2017 and filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, the lawyer is seeking an order of the court, compelling IGP Idris ”to do equity by forthwith obeying and enforcing all subsisting court judgments won against the Police”.
The lawyer is also seeking an order of the court, directing the Attorney-General of the Federation, ”being the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, to advise the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to remove the 2nd Defendant from office as Inspector-General of Police”.
He accused IGP Idris of ”continuous breach of the provisions of section 287(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), thereby posing immense threat to the sustenance of our democracy”.
Odusote said the IGP has ”continuously and flagrantly” disobeyed and refused to enforce court judgements, ”particularly, the judgement delivered on Thursday, 9th November, 2017 by Honourable Justice Gabriel Kolawole in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/176/2017, between The Incorporated Trustees of Peace Corps of Nigeria & 49 others vs. Nigeria Police Force & 5 others”.
He averred that it was ”tantamount to circumventing the law as well as undermining due administration of justice, independence, authority and powers of the judiciary”.
He wants the court to make an order to discontinue any legal action instituted by IGP Idris in any court of law, until subsisting judgements standing against the Police Boss were obeyed and enforced.
In the originating summon which was supported by 26-paragraph affidavit and written address, Barrister Odusote, who is the Advocacy Officer of Lawyers Integrity Crusade Network, annexed various court judgements delivered against the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police, which were never appealed against nor enforced.
”That I am aggrieved as a Legal Practitioner and have instituted this suit because if court judgments are perpetually treated with disdain my source of livelihood will be threatened being litigants will resort to self help and stop using my services”, the lawyer submitted in his affidavit.
It would be recalled that, Justice Kolawole, in a landmark judgement of 9th November, ordered that the Police should unseal the Peace Corps office located at Number 57, Iya Abubakar Crescent, off Alex Ekwueme way, opposite Jabi Lake, Abuja, forthwith.
The court also awarded a cost of N12.5m damage against the Police, even as it prohibited the security agencies from harassing members of the Peace Corps from carrying out their lawful activities.
Exactly 2 weeks after the court judgement, the Police has refused Peace Corps officers access to their office.
