By SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN—JUSTICE Esther Edigin of an Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, yesterday, berated the Inspector General of Police for flouting the order the court on the continued detention of Executive Director of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor.
The court has meanwhile adjourned till September 6, for ruling in the suit for the enforcement of Ugolor's fundamental rights, following his continued detention by the police despite the court order for his release.
Ugolor is being held for the murder of Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde, with the Police authorities and Directorate of State Security Services, SSS, presenting conflicting reports on the arrest of the alleged murderers.
Also, Public Interest Lawyers League, PILL, yesterday, accused the authorities of Nigeria Police of allegedly distorting the facts, with regard investigations into the murder of Oyerinde.
It will be recalled that Justice Esther Edigin had earlier on August 16, granted bail to Ugolor following an exparte application by his counsel, Mr. Afolabi Olayiwola. The court directed the Inspector General of Police to release him on bail.
The visibly angry judge, insisted that the police authorities must obey the court's ruling by releasing Ugolor from detention before the court could proceed to hear the preliminary objection filed by Police counsel.
But the police in a counter affidavit, yesterday, through their counsel, Mr. David Abuo, told the court that Inspector General of Police had not been served with any processes in the matter aside an enrollment of order dated August 17, 2012 and dropped at the Legal Section of the Force CID, Abuja.
He argued that the police had not concluded investigations into, "this matter because we have to travel up to Kano, Adamawa and several other places the investigation of this matter is leading us to. We are still gathering information from the various service providers regarding the call logs of applicant and others connected with this matter."
He prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable the respondents look into the various court processes, which was objected by Olayiwola, who described the motion as incompetent, contending that it was filed outside the period allowed by rules of the court without any extension.
Meanwhile, PILL faulting the Inspector General of Police for flouting the order of the Benin High Court, which ordered the immediate release of Ugolor, said,the police had "made a mess of the investigations" and called on the IG to respect the order of the court.
PILL in a statement by Abdul Mahmud, said "nothing exposes the Force for what it is than the insidious manner with which it treats the well-known environmental rights campaigner, Ugolor."
Vanguard Nigeria