The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has directed that
the court summons against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in
relation to the ongoing investigation into the April 5, 2018 bank
robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State, be served on him.
The IGP has asked a unit within the Nigeria Police Force’s Legal
Department, Force headquarters, Abuja to ensure the prompt delivery of
the court processes on Saraki before the next date, October 3 2018.
On Monday, at the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal
Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, a lawyer, E. S. Marcus conveyed the
IGP’s directive at the resumed proceedings in a criminal complaint made
against Saraki by an Abuja-based lawyer, Oluwatosin Ojaomo.
Ruling in the complaint marked: CR/196/2018, filed under Section
89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Justice
Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede had on September 10, ordered the issuance of
summons on the IGP following Saraki’s absence in court.
The judge had summoned the IGP to attend court on September 17 to
show cause why Saraki was absent in court and what efforts he had made
to ensure his appearance.
On Monday, Marcus told the court that although the IGP and Saraki
were absent in court, he was informed by a Deputy Superintendent of
Police (DSP) in the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, identified
as Mahmoud that the IGP had directed a unit to ensure the delivery of
all processes in relation to the case on Saraki.
He said, “The defendant is not in court. At the last date, the court
issued a witness summons on the IGP to come and show cause why the
police failed to effect service of the criminal summons, warrant of
arrest and other processes on the defendant.
“The witness summons was served on the Nigeria Police Force by the court’s registry.
“However, we received a call from DSP Mahmoud of the Legal Department
of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, that the matter has been
assigned by the IGP to a particular unit of the NPF to effect the
service of the summons on the defendant and arrest him.”
Marcus urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the police effect service of the processes on the defendant.
Justice Ogbede consequently adjourned the case till October 3.