BREAKING: Court bars IGP, DSS from arresting, inviting, interrogating or prosecuting Ikenga

…opposition coalition (CUPP) described ruling as victory for Democracy and rule of law, right of free speech and deadly blow to tyranny.

The move by the Nigeria House of Representatives engineered by the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila to use the Police and DSS to arrest the opposition coalition CUPP Spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere suffered a major blow few moments ago, In less than 24hours of passing a resolution directing the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to arrest the opposition Spokesperson, the FCT High Court in a ruling just delivered barred the Police IG and DSS from arresting, inviting or detaining in any manner the opposition Spokesperson.

Delivering the landmark ruling in the suit number FCT/HC/BW/CV/120/2020, the court ordered the security agencies not to give any effect to the resolution of the House of Reps for being in disobedience of the orders of Taiwo O. Taiwo J of the Federal High Court in suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/475/2020. The House had passed a resolution following its adoption of the report of its adhoc Committee to direct the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to arrest, detain, investigate and prosecute the spokesperson of the opposition coalition.

Reacting to the ruling, the opposition coalition (CUPP) Spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere while commending the eminent jurist for being bold to give the order in clear terms despite the identity of the Respondents in the Motion declared the ruling as yet another milestone victory for democracy and rule of law, right to free speech and a deadly blow to tyranny. He continued that it was very unfortunate that the House of Representatives which had always been the bastion of democracy had been reduced to a shadow of itself under the leadership of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who had dragged the image of the House into the mud in his attempt to use the shield of the House to cover his dirty past.

The Court further admonished parties to the Suit not to take any further steps in defiance of the court order as any such order shall be void. The Court adjourned the matter to 17th June, 2020 for definite hearing.