Mace Theft: Court restrains Police, SSS from arresting Omo-Agege

Senator Omo-Agege arrested by the Police (Photo taken by Kemi Busari, 18/04/2018)

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has restrained the Nigeria Police, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation from arresting or threatening a senator, Ovie Omo-Agege.

The senator was briefly detained by the police on Wednesday after he was arrested at the premises of the National Assembly.

Mr. Omo-Agege was suspended from the Senate on April 12 over his allegations that a bill for reordering of election sequence was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.

The senator later apologised to his colleagues after the Senate had directed its Ethics & Privileges Committee to investigate the matter. The committee eventually recommended Mr Omo-Agege’s suspension.

However, on Wednesday, the suspended Senator resurfaced at the National Assembly.

The Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, later accused Mr. Omo-Agege of leading the unknown persons who broke into the Senate’s session and carted away its mace.

But in a statement Wednesday evening, the senator denied the allegation.

He said he was at the National Assembly to resume sittings “based on legal advice and his understanding of the current position of the law.”

The police later announced recovery of the mace, but said investigation was ongoing.

However, Mr Omo-Agege’s lawyers approached the court on Thursday seeking an interim injunction against further arrest or detention of the senator.

The team of lawyers led by Aliyu Umar, a Senior Avocate of Nigeria, asked for court’s protection for the embattled senator pending determination of a fundamental human rights case brought against the respondents.

The judge, Ishaq Bello, granted the four-point prayers of the senator’s lawyers and adjourned the matter to May 6.

The case is also reassigned to Court 30 for hearing.