Mailafia Challenges Police Invitation in Court

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Legal team of former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, has provided reasons their client did not honour the police invitation to the Force Headquarters on yesterday, saying his invitation by the Police Force over the same case the DSS is already handling is strange to the country’s extant laws and procedure.

Addressing journalists in Jos, Plataea State, his lead counsel, Yakubu Bawa, said the team finds the service of the letter of invitation on Mailafia by the Nigerian Police Force through the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Force, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), “strange and alien to our extant laws and procedure.”

He said: “It is critically imperative to state that the case the Nigerian Police Force is investigating where the name of Dr. Obadiah Mailafia purportedly featured prominently is not unconnected with the case the DSS is investigating against him which borders on internal security.”

Bawa said it is sacrosanct to note also that the DSS is the only statutory body empowered by law to investigate alleged crime against internal security, not the Police Force.

He stated that Section 3 (a) of the security agency Act eloquently stipulates this position, and in consonance with the said provision, the DSS had assumed investigation into the matter.

According to Bawa, “For the purpose of clarity and emphasis, the DSS is still investigating Mailafia in respect of the said matter.

“As a legal defence to Mailafia, we have carefully and meticulously analysed the letter of invitation served on him as well as the intention of the Nigerian Police Force as clearly stated in the said letter of invitation and upon which we immediately approached the High Court of Justice in Plateau State, and filed an action for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights to personal liberty and fair hearing as enshrined in our constitution.

“We have served the Inspector General of Police (IG), the DIG Force Criminal Investigation Department and the signatory of the said letter of invitation, DCP Omar Mamman Sanda, by substituted means through the state Commissioner of Police having obtained a court order to do so.”

He said they were praying the court to make a judicial pronouncement on the letter.

“We are equally subjecting the invitation made by the office of the DIG Force Criminal Investigation Abuja to Mailafia to appear for an interview under judicial scrutiny.

“We strongly believe that it is significant to hear the decision of the court on these germane issues, and it is necessary also for the office of the DIG Force CID to wait for the judicial verdict in order to know whether it is appropriate and in tandem with our extant laws for the Nigerian Police Force to invite Mailafia in the midst of an ongoing investigation by the DSS on a matter that is related to internal security,” Bawa stated.