The Abuja High Court has given the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, till Wednesday (today) to produce two policemen arrested for allegedly collaborating with kidnappers in Anambra State.



The policemen – Onyebuchi Eze and Kenneth Chikwe – were arrested along with one Austine Duru on October 7, 2009 by officers of the State Security Services, in Owerri Imo State.



They were subsequently transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja where one of them was said to have taken ill and needed surgery.



The case was taken up by the International Human Rights Initiative, because the police allegedly denied Eze medical attention.



Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had granted Eze bail, based on the application by the human rights organisation for an order to direct the police to grant him temporary freedom to enable him to go for the surgery.



But the police authorities failed to comply with the bail order, which led to the issuance of summons on August 20 by Justice Adeniyi, directing Onovo to personally appear before the court to explain why the orders were not respected.



The judge had issued the summons against the IG for allegedly refusing to comply with a court summons over the unlawful detention of Eze and Chikwe on September 1.



The order was sequel to an earlier one by the court that Onovo should appear before it to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for allegedly violating four separate court injunctions.



Justice Adeniyi had also ruling on Tuesday, ordered Onovo to produce the two policemen in court before the hearing of the substantive case.



The judge then said, “This is not the first time the IG has disobeyed orders from this court.



“The first was on August 30 in which I asked that he appears in person or show why he should not be committed to prison for allegedly violating four separate court injunctions served on him on August 9, 12, 18 and 20, with regard to the continued detention of the two accused persons.



“Nobody, no matter how highly placed he is, permitted to hold the court in contempt.



“This should further show the world that law is no respecter of persons, irrespective of position.”



After the ruling, lawyer to Onovo, Mr. Samuel Ogbe, told journalists that the two corporals were in police custody in Awka, Anambra State.



“How can we between today and tomorrow produce the two accused in court in Abuja? My client has absolute and unreserved respect for the judiciary and is willing to obey the court order as a law abiding citizen,‘‘ Ogbe said.



But the lawyer to the accused persons, Mr. Chris Ojeifor, said he would decide on the next legal move if by Wednesday, the IG flouted the court order to produce his clients in person.



The Nigeria Police had, however, on Monday defended Onovo, claiming that he was ready to obey the order directing him to appear before the court.



The police added that the IG had absolute and unreserved respect for the judiciary and was willing to obey court orders as a law-abiding citizen.



It said in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu that at no time was Onovo served with summons to appear before the court in person or in a representative capacity.





The police said that the IG had the statutory mandate to enforce discipline with the officers and rank and file of the force.



Ojukwu said that the two accused persons were in prison custody on the order of the court and not in the custody of the police, pointing out that the police had no power to release them.



He said, “The two accused persons are in the custody of the court as they were being remanded on the order of a Chief Magistrate Court, so it is wrong to say they are in police custody.



“The court was probably misled on this matter. On the issue of contempt, the IG has absolute respect for the judiciary as a law-abiding citizen and I can assure you that he will appear in court if he receives a court order directing him to do so.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009084215979

I have said it and I will repeat it again, the role of the judiciary is not complimenting effective policing in Nigeria. Some of these judges are perhaps being protected by big time criminals.From the Boko hara in Bauchi to kidnappers in the South east to faceless land speculators in the South West the judiciary seems to be constituting themselves into nuisance and ridiculing the nation.Pls,allow the IG to flush out bad eggs from the NPF and stop harassing the man.

I don't get this


Has the court now changed its earlier ruling that Onovo be arrested? . . .or is someone just trying to sweep under the carpet the fact that he called the bluff of the judiciary?

Or else?

He called ya bluff once, he's gonna do it again. Period

He has been removed so good riddance.

Well except if something has changed we can safely close this thread. But wait, hold him.

;d ;d

dere is no other suspect to produce, onovo himself is d main suspect, fire him, corrupt mind lead to corrupt pple, corrupt pple lead to corrupt family, corrupt family lead to corrupt state, corrupt state lead to corrupt country, corrupt country lead to , i reserve my comment <<<<<GREEN WHITE GREEN>>>>>>>>>>

Onovo dead IG, old news, long story