Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared as “an act of illegality”, the continous sealing of the office of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) by the Nigeria Police.
Ruling on a motion filed by the Nigerian Police, seeking the court to grant it leave to seal the office of the Corps, the Judge ordered the Police to immediately unseal the office.
The judgemnet is coming over two months after Justice Gabriel Kolawole of Federal High Court in Abuja ordered immediate opening of the National Headquarters of the Corps.
The corporate headquarters of the Corps located at No 57 Iya Abubakar Crescent, off Alex Ekwueme way, opposite Jabi Lake, Jabi, Abuja, had been under lock and keys since 28th February, 2017, when the Police raided the premises and arrested the National Commandant, Amb (Dr.) Dickson Akoh and 49 other officers.
The Nigerian Police had, however, denied sealing the office before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Counsel to the Nigerian Police in the ongoing amended criminal charge against Akoh, JC Idachaba, had on Nov. 8 2017, moved a motion, asking the court for an order to seal the National Headquarters of PCN.
The motion of notice which was filed on Oct. 4 2017, has 16-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Sergeant Philip Tsumba and 17-paragraph written address.
Idachaba denied the fact that the office had been sealed ab initio, saying the Defendant Applicant could not produce any evidence to compel the court to believe that the office was sealed.
On his part, Counsel to the PCN, John Ochogwu, prayed the court to help unseal the office as his client, the PCN had suffered hardship since the office was sealed 11 months ago.
The counsel had also filed a motion on notice on Oct. 62017, seeking an order of the court to unseal the Peace Corps office.
The motion which was supported by a 20-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Barr. Ogar Christopher Ogar with written addresses and 4 exhibits, said the Nigerian Police had sealed the Peace Corps office since the day it raided the premises on Feb. 28 2017, when the National Commandant of the Corps, Akoh and 49 others were arrested.
Barrister Ochogwu tendered picture evidences, showing the office was under lock and keys with heavy presence of the Nigerian Police and Police Van.
He prayed the court to mandate an officer of the court to visit the said office with the view to ascertaining the veracity or otherwise of the claim that the Police sealed the office.
Delivering his ruling on the application by the Police to seal the already sealed Peace Corps Office, Justice Tsoho, on Monday declared that the applicant was seeking an order to “legalise the illegality” it has committed 11 months ago.
He berated the Nigerian Police for not approaching the court to seek order to seal-off the Peace Corps office before taking it under lock and keys.
The Judge therefore, declared the continuous siege on Peace Corps office illegal and ordered that “the office be unsealed forthwith”.
Reacting to the judgement, the National Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh said the Police had no option than to obey the court judgement.
“If the Police wants to continue to prosecute criminal cases in court or press charges against anyone in the court of law, then it must obey court judgments,” Akoh said.
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