Tenure extension: Court fixes April 16 to hear suit seeking IGP’s removal

NAN reports that a lawyer, Mr Maxwell Okpara, filed the suit following the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the tenure of Adamu as the Inspector-General of Police by three months after his retirement on Feb. 1.

Okpara contended that by virtue of Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Adamu could not continue to function as the inspector-general, having retired as a serving member of the force.

Okpara, in the suit, sought an order of the court for Adamu to resign from office, having spent the mandatory 35 years in service.

The plaintiff, Mr Ugochukwu Ezekiel, and counsel to Adamu, Mr Alex Izinyon (SAN), at a resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday told the court that they had successfully served the 4th defendant with their court processes.

Consequently, they informed the court of their readiness to proceed with the hearing of the matter.

Ezekiel, in adopting his written address said he was relying on all the documents he filed.

”We rely on all the affidavit and exhibits attached and urge the court to grant the reliefs and answer the questions in favour of the plaintiff,” he said.

However, Justice Ahmed Mohammed while delivering Judgement fixed April 16 to hear the suit after parties adopted their written addresses.