The IIP-SARS has again ordered the Nigerian Police Force to produce DCP Abba Kyari and four other Officers of the IGP-Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to appear before it on 25th November 2021 over the alleged unlawful detention of two brothers, Mr. Matthew Ella and Mr. Patrick Ella who were said to have been detained since December 2019.
The other officers to be produced before the panel include Inspector Waziri Mustapha, Inspector Al-Hassan Emmanuel, Inspector Gloria, Inspector Makinde Vincent, Inspector Ejeh Odeh, and DCP IGP-IRT Abba Kyari.
A Member of the 11-Member Panel, Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) who presided over the matter on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (rted) made this order when counsel to the police Fidelis Ogwobe informed the panel that the respondents are absent despite the earlier order of the panel for their appearance made on 2nd December, 2021.
He therefore advised the police that it is in their interest to ensure that the police officers involved in the petition are produced before the panel.
The Police lawyer confessed that it was not easy for him to compel the appearance of DCP Abba Kyari and that he was not able to reach out to most of the police officers who are respondents in the petition wherein the two victims are still missing.
Specifically, he said that he does not have the capacity to compel the appearance of the Officers mentioned in the petition.
Lead counsel to the police, James Idachaba aligned with Ogwobe’s position and suggested that the panel should issue summons to the affected needed police officers to facilitate their appearance before the panel.
Ogwobe told the panel that one of the respondents, Insp. Makinde Vincent took ill for the past six months, which according to him might have affected his appearance before the panel.
Reacting to the non-appearance of the affected police officers before the panel, one of the panelists representing the Nigeria Bar Association on the panel, John Aikpokpo-Martins, declared that “the officers must be brought to the panel”.
In his ruling Dr. Tetengi (SAN) stated that the earlier letter extended to the police by the panel for the police to produce the said officers still subsists adding that the secretariat of the panel will serve the affected officers with summons personally still compelling their appearance on 25th November, 2021. He also directed the police to prepare for their defence on the set date.
It could be recalled that on 2nd December, 2020, Justice Galadima (rtd) had ordered the police to ensure that the two brothers, Matthew and Patrick were produced at the next sitting of the panel.
In another petition, the panel struck out a case of alleged confiscation of property because the case has been resolved amicably by both parties. The complainants Mr. Tunde Moses and one other person had accused one Abdullahi Ahmadu of defunct SARS and IGP-IRT unit of seizing his car. The case has now been resolved as the police returned the vehicle to the complainant.
Following this achievement, lead counsel to the police, James Idachaba requested that the police should be commended for the amicable resolution of the case.
According to him, the police played a key and pivotal role which led to a peaceful settlement of the case.
In view of the foregoing, the panel accordingly struck out the petition, having been resolved.
