Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Removal Of Police IG

 Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has dismissed a suit seeking the sack of the inspector-general of police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman.

The suit instituted against President Muhammadu Buhari and four others by an Abuja-based activist, Micheal Sam Idoko, was dismissed by the court for lack of locus standi.

In his judgment, Justice Omotoso invoked Section 7 (6) of the Police Act 2020 which put the tenure of office of any Inspector General of Police at four years.

The Judge held that the retirement of Alkali Baba Usman from the Nigeria Police Force has nothing to do with his appointment on the ground that the four years tenure is sacrosanct.

Besides, Justice Omotoso said that the plaintiff who claimed to be a social crusader has no jurisdiction in instituting the case under the guise of public interest.

He held that the plaintiff failed to establish having any peculiar or special interest over and above other Nigerians.

Specifically, Justice Omotoso described the plaintiff as a busy-body and meddlesome interloper, adding that he was not a serving police officer qualified for appointment or ever applied for IGP’s position and denied, adding that he has no legal right in law in filing the suit.

Idoko, through his counsel, Chief James Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had filed the suit challenging the legality of the continuous stay of the IGP in office having served out his tenure.

The suit marked FHC/CS/ 31/2023 was subsequently dismissed without any cost against the plaintiff.