Kogi Guber: Court Bars Bello, Others from Arresting Abejide

•Orders DSS, police to provide maximum protection

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, issued an order restraining Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and seven others, from arresting the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Hon Leke Abejide.

The order is pending the hearing and determination of a suit, Abejide filed against Bello, the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Commissioner of Police (Kogi State), Department of State Service (DSS), Director General of DSS, Director DSS (Kogi State) and the Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The judge, who specifically restrained the respondents from inviting, arresting, detaining, or threatening the life and properties of the applicant, also ordered the police, DSS and NSCDC to give him maximum protection, either in Kogi, Abuja or in any part of the country.

Justice Mohammed made the orders while ruling in an ex-parte application, argued by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sammie Somiari on behalf of the governorship candidate.

Abejide in the ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1248/2023 had sought enforcement of his fundamental rights to life, dignity of person, personal liberty, fair hearing, peaceful assembly and association.

He also sought his rights to freedom of movement and freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Sections 33, 34,35,36,37, 38,40,41,42 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws on human rights.

He complained that since he emerged governorship candidate and his campaign booming, Bello had allegedly become jittery and threatened as well as opted to get him arrested and caged to keep him out of circulation.

The former House of Representatives member alleged that the ultimate aim of the governor was to harass, intimidate, threaten and get him out of the November 11, 2023 governorship election at all cost to pave the way for his anointed candidate in the All Progressive Congress (APC).

After listening to arguments of the senior lawyer along with tendered exhibits, Justice Mohammed issued the restraining orders against the respondents to the effect that the applicant must not be arrested, detained or harassed pending the resolution of his substantive suit.

“An order is hereby made restraining the respondents, their agents, servants and anybody acting through or under them from arresting, inviting, detaining or threatening the applicant’s life and properties pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An Order is hereby made compelling the 2nd – 8th respondents to immediately provide maximum security to the applicant in Abuja FCT, Kogi State and elsewhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit,” the judge held.

The judge further ordered the applicant to serve all processes in respect of the suit on the respondents and fixed September 20 for hearing of the substantive suit.