The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, on Thursday failed to appear before an Abuja High Court, which had issued a bench warrant for his arrest over alleged contempt.



The court had on Monday ordered the arrest of the IG over his alleged refusal to appear before it in respect of the unlawful detention of two police corporals, Onyebuchi Eze and Kenneth Chikwe.



But Justice Olukayode Adeniyi ordered the Federal Capital Territory of the Nigeria Police Command, to ensure that Onovo was arrested and produced in court on Tuesday. Onovo and two of his surbordinates: a Commissioner of Police in-charge of Special Investigation Unit and Chief Superintendent of Police Audu Abel, had allegedly disobeyed four different court orders served on August 9, 12, 18 and 20, 2010, for Eze’s bail.



The corporal, who was found to be suffering from acute appendicitis, was recommended for surgery. The judge, who was not happy that its order for Onovo to be arrested and produced in court on Thursday, however, acceded to a request by the lawyer to the police and IG’s representative, Mr. Henry Njoku.



The lawyer, who is a Chief Superintendent of Police, pleaded for more time to enable the force to sort out the matter. Njoku, who had maintained that Onovo would not intentionally show contempt for its orders, added that the police authorities got to know about the pendency of the suit as well as the warrant of arrest against the IG in The PUNCH.



“My Lord, I was at the registry of this court yesterday (Wednesday) after reading the publication. The Registrar, Mr. Malik, then showed me a bench warrant directed against the IG, and informed me that a copy of it was served on the FCT Police Command for eventual execution.



“I think, my Lord, that there is an avoidable lacuna in respect of this case; as the respondent will not do anything intentionally to undermine the honour and integrity of this court in particular and the judiciary in general. In the circumstance, my Lord, we most humbly and passionately apply for a very brief adjournment to enable us to regularise appearance and perfect the orders of this court.



“With regards to Section 36 of the 1999 constitution, it will amount to a great injustice if the respondents are not given fair hearing in this case,” he said.



But the applicants’ lawyer, Mr. Asekome Oteiku, while refuting claims by the force that it was yet to be properly informed about the order, urged the court to ensure strict compliance with its orders.



Delivering his short ruling after listening to lawyers to both parties, Justice Adeniyi said, “There is enough proof before me to show that the warrant of arrest issued against the IG of Police on August 30, was duly served on the FCT Police Command. However, I shall in the over-stretched interest of justice, accede to this request, though grudgingly; but at least nobody from today can claim ignorance of this order.



“This case bears on the issue of life and death and Order 4, Rule 3 of this court calls for its speedy disposal. The constitution does not give anybody, no matter who he is, the right to keep Nigerian citizens in custody indefinitely.



“The law that made him (the IG) is no respecter of anybody; I am guided by the procedures of this court and he must also be properly guided. The records before me show that he was properly served. Consequently, I hereby set down this case till September 7 to await the compliance of the respondent.”


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009032535231

ANARCHY already sets in Here is a man supposed to preserve and defend the the Law of the land, suddenly he’s now the LAW, nothing can touch him, MR. double 007, licensed to kill at will. Jonathan should fire this criminal immediately, what in a hell does he think he is. This is one of the main reasons why the country refuses to improve, PERIOD.

IG has successfully proved to the world that he is above the law.who will enforce the order in the first instance,is it not police?so tell me, anarchy looms in the country.

INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police (IG) Ogbonna Onovo yesterday claimed ignorance of the court order for his arrest.

Police lawyer Henry Njoku, a chief superintendent, told Mr Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court that Onovo only read of the order in the papers.

He said there was a breakdown in communication with the police.

Njoku was speaking at the resumed hearing of the case instituted against him by two policemen.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on Monday issued a bench warrant for Onovo’s arrest for contempt of court.

The order was reportedly served through FCT command yesterday.

Onovo is accused of unlawful detention of two non-commissioned police officers Corporal Onyebuchi Eze and Kenneth Chikwe.

They have been in detention since December, last year alongside Austin Duru for alleged kidnap of a yet-to-be-identified victim.

Onovo also disobeyed the order to produce the suspects in court.

Onovo, Commissioner of Police in-charge of Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and Audu Abel, a Chief Superintendent, were alleged to have disobeyed four orders issued on August 9, 12, 18 and 20.

The orders followed an application by the International Human Rights Protection Initiative on behalf of the suspects.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Onovo, who had failed to honour earlier invitation was absent.

Njoku claimed ignorance of the bench warrant.

He said they only read about the bench warrant and the case in a national daily.

Communication broke down when oga was abt to be arrested but when police arrest & detain people illegally, communication is intact. Naija, I hail thee,

who will arrest him and get sacked?

it is not only in naija that
"all animals are equal, but some are more equal than the other"
even in the ocean big fish de catch small fish chop!

This man does not have respect for the law of the land!

Little wonder it took a while before he was finally approved IG even though he was qualified.
He is just a rogue, thats what power does to Nigerians. Once they have it, they think they are
above the Law. Fu*king pot bellied Basta*d!!!

Our IG(Onovo) pass the law!!! All this officer's shd be sack for not carry out court instruction, but if they want to collect N20 from motorist they dont need any instruction b4 carry it out. Bitch, black man, black brain, black man in black uniform.

What other evidence do will need to tell us that we are a failed Nation. I weep for my country! The future is not sure for the young generation. The criminals are now the ruler.

I'm above the law.but he's nt above Almighty God.

I'm above the law.but he's nt above Almighty God.

I remember vividly how former President Clinton was drilled by a certain judge who interrogated him over Monica Lewinsky wahala, Ihe was addressing the Judge as "sir" when responding to questions.

I asked someone about why an incumbent president was addressing a judge as "sir " and got a simple explanation. Executive,Legislature and Judiciary are separate arms of the govenrment. Morever the enquiry was going on inside a court premises, and the judge was the head of that court , so any other person in the court premises is certainly subject to the authority of the Judge.

Coming home, it is a different ball game, though the contempt of court is being done tactically, Onovo is wise enough by not telling the judge to got to hell, they have blamed it on communication gap. Though we all know better.

Therefore there is still a glimmer, this country will soon rise beyond these things that upset us as Nigerians/Nairalanders.

We have just had 11 years uniterrupted democracy, USA decomcracy has evolved over centuries.

We certainly can not give up on Nigeria, we have to move forward.

It is typical of Nigerian Police to trade blame. Look at how the lawyer was trying to justify the IG's absence (saying the IG was not aware of the summon and trying to blame it on FCT Police Command). Ignorance is never a defense in the court of law. I guess that saying has just changed becos it involved the IG. What a system

Even the FCT Police Command should be probed for contempt of the court because the command did not relay the message to the headquarters.

Ogbonna -RoosterDrinker-Onovo. A total shame to the police profession. A common thug who has no regard for the law. What lesson does he want the populace to learn from his action?

He has gotten a national award, only to allow flagrant corruption among the police ( approx. 1400 checkpoints in the south east alone). and pple are getting killed everyday in Anambra, Abia and Lagos.

FG should put a 'shoot on sight' order on his head. Useless Dog.

I Hate You, Onovo, Die and Rot in Hell, Motherfu cker.

This guy has been due for demotion, sorry dismissal oh sorry retirement long ago, especially when he said he did not believe that then self Exiled Ribadu did entered the country, that he needed proof to believe it. He's long overdue for removal and I think GJ should use this opportunity to show him the way!

wahala dey, its a shame that even those that are law makers are now making it seems that they have immunity from this law, one day monkey go go market e nor go return,

onova has only successfully reminded me that we have no police force in the first place. seems we only have a bunch of legal rogues who wear black or is it blue and are licenced to carry fire arms.

Is anyone surprised or shocked abut this? Y'all should b used to this stuff by now, well I am

i personally thought that the judge would have said that 5 million will be awarded to any who can arrest onovo or provide him alive before the law court, we are sure some kidnappers would have attepted to do that.


a failed nation with failed leaders.
wicked leaders in wicked generation.

its ok to be above the law.

Onovo: Why I Ignored Court Summons
•Police to beef up force ahead of 2011
By Ye m i A de bo w a l e a nd O l a w a l e O l a l e y e , 0 9 . 0 4 . 2 0 1 0
The Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnaya Onovo yesterday said
he refused to honour an invitation by an Abuja High Court to
appear before it over alleged unlawful detention of two
policemen because the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the
case.

for more go to:thisdayonline.info/nview.php?id=181797

see the lame mr. onovo has come up with? i hope he gets hurled into jail in the long run. what impunity!

Like Ibori like Onovo

THIS IS 2010 EVERYONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

What do you Expect !!!!!! Our Judges are thootless Lions & Cowards called Judges

Stpd Onovo plying in the path of Tafa Balogun etal i really pity him,