Court Suspends Police Interrogation Of Senate President Over Offa Bank Robbery

Judge Restrains Police From Interrogating Saraki

Justice M. A. Nasir of the federal High Court in Abuja yesterday has ordered the Nigerian Police force to suspend the ongoing interrogation of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, over the Offa bank robbery, pending the determination of a fundamental rights suit brought against the federal government.

Naija News learnt that the Judge gave the restraining order while ruling on an exparte motion brought by 10 human right lawyers led by the National Chairman of APP party, Mr Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, seeking the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the Senate President as guaranteed by section 34,35,36, and 41 of the Nigerian Constitution and article 2,4,5,6,10 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and peoples right.

In the suit marked: M/8280/2018, the plaintiffs asked the court to among others, restrained the respondents from interrogating, harassing, inviting, arresting, detaining or taking any action that would infringe on the fundamental rights of the Senate president pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

Aside from the Nigerian Police Force, other respondents in the suit include the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IG).

Ruling on the exparte motion, Justice Nadir directed the respondents to “stay all actions related to this suit pending the determination of the originating motion fixed for 16/8/2018.”

The plaintiffs in the substantive suit is seeking a declaration that the continuous harassment and invitation of Saraki by the IG and the police in connection with the offa robbery based on trumped up, unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations of crime is unlawful, unconstitutional, oppressive and in gross violation of the Senate president’s fundamental rights.

A declaration that the continuous invitation of Saraki by the police with the intent to investigate, arrest, detain and prosecute him based on the interim report of the Director of Public Prosecution of the federation, when the said report did not disclose that Saraki was guilty of any criminal offence is arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Naija News recalls that the federal ministry of justice had also earlier stated that the report of the Offa bank robbery does not criminally implicate Saraki, urging the Police to carry out further investigation on the matter.