Edo High Court Restrains Police from Arresting 68 Obaseki’s Associates Pending Determination of Suit

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-City

Edo State High Court has restrained the Nigeria Police from arresting 68 political associates of former Governor Godwin Obaseki, based on a petition submitted by the acting state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in July, pending the determination of the suit.

Some of the associates include political appointees, local government chairmen, aides, and others.

In the suit marked: B/266M/2024, which has the Inspector General of Police, the state Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Force CID Abuja), and the Police Service Commission (PSC) as respondents, the applicants through their counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi (SAN) had sought an interim injunction against their arrest.

In granting their request, Justice AT Momodu ruled that “An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the respondents either by themselves, police officers in their department and/or any police officer acting under their instruction from inviting, arresting and detaining the applicants in any of respondents office, in respect of the petition written by the chairman of All Progressives Congress (Edo State) dated 18/07/2024 to the 1st respondent pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion filed by the applicants in the enforcement of their fundamental human right.

“It is further ordered that the enrolled order of the order be served along with the originating motion on the respondents.”