A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja yesterday, restrained the Inspector-General of Police from arresting a Kogi State House of Assembly member, Hon. Friday Sanni, over alleged murder and the setting up of an illegal security outfit in the state.
The House of Representatives had recently passed a resolution compelling the Inspector-General of Police to arrest and prosecute Hon. Sanni, representing Igalamela/ Odolu Constituency over allegations bordering on murder, thuggery and illegal setting up of a security outfit known as ‘Ajana Mopol.’
The House of was acting on a petition written by a former minister of interior that said that the lawmaker had sometimes been declared wanted by the police over these allegations and wondered why the police still left the lawmaker walking around the streets a free man.
The National Assembly therefore ordered the inspector- general of police to issue a warrant of arrest on Sanni and cause him to appear before the Ethics and Public Petitions Committee to answer to the allegations.
However, the lawmaker, who denied committing any crime whatsoever headed for the court to stop the Inspector-General of Police, the National Assembly or their agents from arresting, detaining and or summoning him before the House Committee.
Counsel to the applicant, John Adele and Tanko Musa, in their application, said allegations raised against Sanni was malicious, spurious and baseless and cannot therefore be used to haunt the lawmaker.
They averred that the fundamental rights of Sanni, especially to freedom of movement as enshrined in the constitution, has been greatly impinged upon.
They therefore urged the court to grant them an interim injunction restraining the inspector-general of police, the Speaker of the House and or any of their agents from arresting or summoning the lawmaker, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“We hereby seek for an order granting interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, servants, privies or workmen from arresting and detaining the applicant or taking further steps in connection with the matter of the application of fundamental human rights enforcement procedure of 2009.”
