Alleged conspiracy: Fani-Kayode asks court to declare police invitation illegal

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja with a suit seeking to stop the police from arresting and detaining him unlawfully.

The police had last week invited Fani-Kayode to appear at the Force Headquarters before August 28, 2018, for alleged ‘conspiracy, criminal defamation, inciting publication, injurious falsehood and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

However, in a motion on notice dated August 28, 2018, and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/917/2018, the former Minister has asked the court to declare that the said letter of invitation by the police is unlawful, unjustifiable, illegal and unconstitutional.

He further prayed the court through his lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo to declare that in accordance with the 1999 constitution, he cannot be so invited by law enforcement agents for undisclosed reasons and without adequate notice.

The former Aviation minister informed the court that the invitation letter was so vaguely construed that, “I became apprehensive and concerned about the intentions of the Nigerian Police and what my fate could be, should I visit the 1st and 2nd respondents office without filing this application”.

He said knowing that the activities of the respondents can have a negative impact on his freedom of movement, liberty and dignity; he decided to file an originating motion on notice to enforce his fundamental rights.

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Meanwhile, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has ordered that all the processes relating to the motion on notice be served on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigerian Police and the Attorney General of the Federation to enable them to appear in court on the next adjourned date, slated for September 13, 2018 for hearing.

Earlier, Justice Dimgba had, after listening to Raphel Oyewole, granted leave to hear the suit as a vacation judge.

Regardless of the suit, his counsel, Dr Ajulo said he has prevailed on his client to honour the invitation on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.