Court dismisses IGP’s suit against Senate

An FCT High Court in Jabi has dismissed a suit on enforcement of fundamental human rights filed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris against the Senate.

Justice Abba Bello Mohammed declared yesterday, while delivering judgment in the suit that the Senate had not infringed on the fundamental rights of Idris by merely inviting him for investigation by its ad-hoc committee.

He held that Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution empowered the National Assembly to investigate any matter and summon any persons.

He added that the mere fact that Senator Isa Misau raised allegations against Idris on the floor of the Senate cannot influence the decision of the committee set up by the Senate, since Misau is not a member of the committee.

Justice Mohammed thereafter held that Idris’s right to fair hearing has not been infringed upon by the Senate to warrant the intervention of the court and thereby dismissed the suit.

The judge had also earlier ruled that an application brought by Idris’s counsel, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), seeking to stay further proceeding in the matter pending the decision of the Court of Appeal, was an attempt to arrest judgment.

He held that the proceedings in the matter brought by Idris were completed on February 1, when the case was reserved for judgment, thereby holding that as of the time the application for stay of proceeding was filed, there was no other proceeding for the court to stay.

IGP Idris had filed the enforcement of fundamental human rights’ suit against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Senate, Senators Hamman Isa Misau; Francis Alimikhena; Binta Masi Garba, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Duro Faseyi Samuel; Ogba Joseph Obinna; Nelson Effiong and Abdulaziz Nyako.