IGP defies court order, refuses to produce detained Cameroonian citizen

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has disobeyed an order of the Federal High Court Abuja by refusing to produce a Cameroonian citizen who has been in detention for over four hundred days.

The Cameroonian Citizen, Mr. Agborsangaya Eyong, who was alleged to have been in possession of ammunition illegally found in his house, has been in detention for close to two years without being given bail.

When the matter was mentioned for hearing on Thursday, the applicant was not produced in court by the respondent (IGP) as required by an earlier court order.

Counsel to the applicant, Mr. Danshita Shittu informed the court that the order given to produce Eyong was disobeyed by the respondent as earlier given by the same court as the applicant was not in court.

In his counter argument, counsel to the respondent, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr. Joseph Udo, argued that the IGP could not produce the applicant due to late arrival of the court order and bureaucratic process between office of the IGP and Attorney General’s office as the matter was referred to him for consent.

The applicant through his counsel had sought for an order of the court to be released on bail pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice.

He also sought payment of one hundred million naira as compensation for damages for his unlawful detention as well as an apology to be published in two national dailies.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court Abuja adjourned to 31st of March for hearing and the Cameroonian Citizen be produced in court.

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