The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Inspector-General of Police and four others from further harassing, intimidating, humiliating and detaining an Abuja-based housewife and her in-law, Mrs. Esther Stephanie Shehu and Mr. David Isaac Kpanaki.
Further to that, the presiding judge has also ordered that they be immediately produced in court at the next sitting.
The court gave the order in a ruling on an ex-parte order argued by their counsel, Akintayo Balogun of Oxygen Chambers, on behalf of Mrs. Esther Stephanie Shehu and Mr. David Isaac Kpanaki (1st and 2nd applicants) seeking an order restraining the Inspector-General of Police and four others from carrying out the acts complained of in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1279/2023.
In a certified true copy of an enrollment dated, October 4, 2023, sighted on Thursday, Justice M. O. Olajuwon ordered the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive case. The court further ordered their production in court for the Respondents to show cause why they should not be admitted to bail.
Justice Olajuwon gave an order restraining 1st to 4th Respondents (jointly or severally) whether by themselves, their agents, employees, operatives, detectives, investigating officer(s), or by whatever name called, from further harassing, arresting the applicants pending the determination of the suit.
In the substantive suit, Mrs. Shehu and her in-law, Mr. Kpanaki, are seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the four others over their (Mrs. Shehu and Mr. Kpanaki’s) alleged unlawful arrest, dehumanisation and detention without warrant.
They are seeking an order of the court declaring the actions of the defendants illegal as well as an order for their immediate and unconditional release and an order restraining the defendants from further arresting, dehumanizing and detaining them, among others.
They said his planned arrest was instigated and sponsored by Kamoru Yusuf (the 5th respondent), who was involved in a civil business transaction with Mr. Shehu.
They protested their arrest as no warrant was shown to them either and there had never been any transaction between them and Mr. Yusuf but the officers turned deaf ears to their protest and took them away.
The applicants said the acts of the police and Kamoru Yusuf amount to an infringement of the applicants’ fundamental right as guaranteed under the Constitution and the African Charter.
The applicants therefore approached the court for enforcement of their fundamental rights.
The matter has been adjourned to October 10 for hearing and for the Respondents to produce the Applicants in court and show cause why they should not be admitted to bail.
