Court Orders Police, DSS, To Protect ADC Guber Candidate In Kogi, Hon, Abejide From Gov. Bello

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, ordered the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to give maximum protection to the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon Leke Abejide from any arrest or detention by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

The two security agencies and Governor Bello were also in a separate order, barred from inviting, arresting, detaining, or threatening the life and properties of the governorship candidate pending the hearing and determination of a suit instituted against them by the politician.

The restraining orders were issued Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed while ruling in an ex-parte application argued Mr. Sammie Somiari, SAN, on behalf of the Kogi State ADC governorship candidate.

The order issued and signed by Justice Mohammed, the DSS, Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps were also ordered to protect the properties of Hon. Abejide in Abuja, Kogi State and in any part of the country while the orders last.

Abejide in the ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1248/2023, sought for enforcement of his fundamental rights to life, dignity of person, personal liberty, fair hearing, peaceful assembly and association just as he equally sought for 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 (as amended) and other relevant laws on human rights.

Abejide told the court that since his emergence as governorship candidate which led to his having a booming campaign, Governor Yahaya Bello became jittery and threatened thus, opted to get him arrested and caged in order to keep him out of circulation.

Abejide said that the ultimate aim of the Governor is to harass, intimidate, threaten and get him out of the November 11, 2023 governorship election at all cost to pave way for his anointed candidate in the All Progressive Congress (APC).

After listening to arguments of Somiari, SAN 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.

Justice Mohammed declared; “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 court held.

Justice Mohammed also ordered the applicant to serve all processes in respect of the suit on the respondents that included Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Kogi State), DSS, Director General of DSS, Director of DSS (Kogi State) and the Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The court thereafter fixed September 20, 2023 for hearing of the substantive suit.