A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has stopped the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Unuoha from arresting, harassing or in any way intimidating the spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) gubernatorial candidate in last November’s election in Kogi State, Mr Faruk Adejoh-Audu.
Also restrained in the order issued by the High Court are the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Kogi State Director of DSS.
The restraining order against the security agents is to last till final determination of a motion on notice in an action for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights brought by Adejoh-Audu who claimed his life has come under serious threat from the defendants.
Adejoh-Audu, a veteran journalist, activist, politician and SDP spokesperson had gone to court after altercations between him and the Kogi State Police Commissioner, Unuoha, on election matters after which the later publicly threatened the spokesman to expect some unstated consequences.
The SDP spokesperson had on November 29, 2023, accused the Police Chief of collaborating with thugs to attack the interest of his party in the recently conducted governorship election in Kogi.
However, the Police Commissioner held a press conference the next day in Lokoja and gave Adejoh-Audu 24 hours ultimatum to substantiate his allegations or “be ready to face the consequences of his actions.”
Adejoh-Audu took up the challenge in a 17-paragraph reply justifying his allegations and accusing the Police Chief of resorting to self-help by threatening to ”visit unstated consequences” on him.
An FCT High Court presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu after listening to O. U. Salifu, lawyer to the SDP spokesman in an ex-parte application, granted the order restraining the Inspector General of Police, The Director-General of the DSS, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police and the State Director of DSS from arresting or interfering with the liberty of the applicant.
The court has adjourned the matter to December 18, 2023, for the hearing of the Motion On Notice.
