Court Stops Arrest of Ebonyi Guber Candidate

A High Court sitting in Imo State has given an order of interim injunction restrain­ing the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba; Commissioner of Po­lice, Ebonyi State, CP Sunday Olaleye, and the Department of State Services (SSS) or its agents from arresting the gov­ernorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh.

Justice I.M. Njaka gave the order on March 3, 2023, in a motion ex parte brought be­fore the Orlu Judicial Division of the Imo State High Court by Prof. Odoh.

Court rulling

“Upon reading the motion ex parte dated on the 1st day of March, 2023 and filed on 2nd March, 2023 brought pur­suant to sections 34, 35 and 41 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) order 11 Rules 1,2,3,4 and 5, order iv, Rules 3, 4 and order xi of the Fundamental Right (En­forcement Procedure) Rules 2009 and under the inherent jurisdiction of this Honor­able Court. Together with 20 paragraphed affidavit in sup­ported of the motion paper and written address of the counsel.

“And after hearing the sub­mission of C.K. Okorie (SAN) for the plaintiff/applicant. The court hereby orders as follows:- An order of interim injunction is made restrain­ing the respondents, either by themselves or through their agents, workmen, staff or security men, police officers from further attempting to ar­rest or detain or inviting the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the sub­stantive application.

“An order of interim in­junction restraining is made the respondents either by themselves or through their agents, workmen, staff or security men, police officers from taking further steps or staying all actions in connec­tion with the substantive ap­plication pending the hearing and determination of the sub­stantive application,” the court ordered.

Further on the case

Prof. Odoh through his lawyer, C.K Okorie (SAN), had filed a motion ex parte dated the 1st day of March, 2023, and filed on 2nd March, 2023, brought pursuant to sections 34, 35 and 41 of the 1999 consti­tution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) order 11 Rules 1,2,3,4 and 5, order iv Rules 3, 4 and order xi of the Fundamental Right (Enforce­ment Procedure) Rules 2009 and under the inherent ju­risdiction of this honorable court.

This matter was adjourned to March 8, 2023, for report of service/hearing.

Recall that Ebonyi govern­ment had ordered the Nige­ria police to arrest anyone suspected to have hands in the murder of the tradition­al ruler of Umuezeokaoha community, HRH Eze Igbo­ke Ewa.

The deceased monarch was killed by unknown gunmen last week Monday night.

Following the murder of the monarch, the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) in the state petitioned security agen­cies. Also accused APGA guber­natorial candidate, Professor Bernard Odoh, who hails from same community with the monarch of being behind the incident. But Odoh had in a statement denied having any link with the murder of the monarch.

On Monday, March 6, 2023, the matter took a dramatic twist as the Ebonyi State Po­lice Command declared Prof. Bernard Odoh and nine others wanted over the murder of the monarch.