The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Friday withdrew the suit it filed to stop the panels probing the allegations of rights abuses by police officials.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020 was filed on November 9, 2020 by the NPF, through its lawyer, O. M. Atoyebi (SAN).
Festus Ibude, lawyer to the NPF, filed a notice of discontinuance, which said: “Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants.”
Those listed as defendants in the case include the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the attorneys-general of the states and chairmen of the panels set up by the states.
The withdrawal followed the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu’s disapproval.
Adamu, who disowned the case, directed an immediate investigation into it, as well as the role of the Force Legal Section, including its head, CP Tuesday Assayomo.
Adamu also expressed the disapproval of the Force Management Team on the matter.
The police had in the suit sought to stop the probe panels across the states, describing them as unconstitutional.
Police lawyers, led by Oyetola Atoyebi (SAN), claimed that states had no powers to hear allegations of wrongdoings against police officers, arguing that only the Nigeria Police Force could handle personnel issues.
Police said the probe was “a violation of the provisions of Section 241 (1)(2) (a) and Item 45, Part 1, First schedule, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, Cap.T21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
However, the force spokesman, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the force management did not authorise the legal challenge.
Mba announced that Assayomo, who had already been queried, could face further sanctions, if found guilty of dereliction of duty.
The statement was titled: ‘EndSARS: IGP orders investigation into alleged suit touching on states’ judicial panels of inquiry’.
“The IGP reiterates the commitment of the Force to fulfilling all its obligations with regards to the disbandment of the defunct SARS, the ongoing judicial panels and all other police reforms,” Mba said.
