An FCT High Court in Bwari has restrained the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).
Justice Othman Musa gave the order in an ex-parte application filed by Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, spokesman of CUPP to stop the two law enforcement agents from giving effect to the directives of the House of Representatives for his arrest.
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Ugochinyere drew the ire of the green chambers following his position on the Infectious Diseases Bill currently before the legislators.
He had alleged that the House collected $10m bribe to hurriedly deliberate upon and pass the controversial bill pending before it.
The House had subsequently summoned him but Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court ordered that status quo should be maintained in the matter.
Court papers seen by our reporter on Thursday indicated that Justice Musa’s order was given on Wednesday.
”The 5th and 6th respondents are ordered in clear terms not to give effect to the act of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents, either by themselves, servants or privies, for acts of disobedience of the orders of Justice Tarwo o. Taiwo of the Federal High Courts in Suit No: FHCIABJ/CS/475/2020 and are further restrained from arresting or detaining in any manner the Applicant pending the determination of the motion on notice.
“Parties are further admonished to abide by the authority in the Supreme Court decisions of Military Governor of Lagos Sale 5015 v. Ojakwu (1986) LPELR-3186 (SC) as any act or step taken in defiance to the orders of/court shall be void”, the court ruled.
Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, House of Representatives, Clerk of the National Assembly, Honourable Henry Nwawuba, the IGP and DG, DSS are Respondents one to six listed on court papers.
