A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ruled that Delta lawmaker, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who allegedly led hoodlums into the National Assembly to steal the mace of the upper legislative chamber cannot be arrested or detained until further notice.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, hoodlums invaded the upper legislative chamber in the National Assembly complex, seized the mace of the chamber and fled in a black SUV. This theft was blamed on Senator Omo-Agege and he was arrested after plenary session yesterday. However, he was released hours later after answering questions over what he described as deliberate and unfair allegations from the leadership of the Senate.
On Thursday, April 19, the lawmaker’s lawyers approached the High Court to file for an interim injunction against further arrest or detention of the senator.
The team of lawyers, led by Aliyu Umar (SAN), prayed for the court’s protection for the lawmaker pending determination of a fundamental human rights case brought against the respondents named as the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The respondents have been ordered to desist from arresting the senator as presiding judge, Ishaq Bello, granted the four-point prayers of the senator’s lawyers. The case was adjourned to May 6.
The mace was recovered by the police on Thursday, April 19, after it was found by a passer-by under the flyover before the City Gate in Abuja where the hoodlums abandoned it.
