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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Osun State gubernatorial election in September last year, Ademola Adeleke, has sued Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu over his arrest and detention in Abuja on May 6, 2019.
Adeleke had approached the Osun State High Court, Ikirun seeking his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
The court presided over by Justice Jide Falola ordered the police not to arrest or detain Adeleke pending the determination of the substantive suit filed before it.
Justice Falola had based his ruling on an earlier court ruling by Justice I. E. Ekwor of the Federal High Court, Abuja who granted Adeleke leave to travel to the United States of America (USA) between May 7, 2019 and June 9, 2019 for medical attention.
According to Justice Falola who noted that the Federal High Court ruling incapacitated the respondents from arresting or detaining the applicant added: “A calm sober and judicial wisdom dictates that I allow the order made by Ekwor of the Federal High Court Abuja in charge No, FHC/ABJ/CR/156/2018 on Friday, May 3, 2019 to continue to operate.
“But on May 6 when the Osun High Court order was made, Adeleke was arrested, detained and arraigned on issues bordering on his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate and testimonial issued by Muslim Grammar School, Ede.
“Adeleke was accused in a five-count offence, of presenting fake documents to contest the 2017 senatorial election, which he won by defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mudashiru Hussein.”
In the fresh suit, Adeleke who dragged the IGP, the Assistant Inspector of Police (AIG), Zone 11, Simon Lough, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and John Faluyi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) urged the court to further convince the respondents of the order made on the matter.
Counsel to the applicant, Kanmi Ajibola, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the attitudes of the Nigeria Police, saying despite the fact that the respondents were duly served the court order they still went ahead to arrest and detain the senator.
In his ruling, Justice Falola issued form 48 against the police, asking them to take notice of the consequence of disobedience of court order, adding that they would be guilty of contempt of court “and will be liable to be committed to prison.”