By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, has again, ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to produce before it, Vijah Opuama, a governorship candidate in the November 16, 2020 election in Bayelsa State.
The order is coming for the third time, following the IGP’s failure to comply with the 1st and 2nd order of the court to produce Opuama to appear before him in court for processing.
Opuama was arrested by policemen from the IGP’s Monitoring Unit on August 15, 2020.
“The court made an order that the applicant be produced in this court. That order must be obeyed.
“I shall, therefore, make an order that the applicant must be produced on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. The applicant must be produced in court on that day unfailing,’’ Justice Taiwo held.
In his reaction, counsel to the IGP, T. O Amalaha, prayed the court to give them till September 16 instead, which the judge declined.
Justice Taiwo in his responds held that the court could not afford to give them another seven days after they violated the two previous orders issued for the production of the detainee in court.
“We are in a democracy. Nigeria is not a Banana Republic. Public officers cannot afford to act irrationally.”
Meantime, the matter is adjourned to September 9 for hearing of Opuama’s bail application.
