A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit seeking the removal of Alkali Baba Usman as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
In his judgment, Justice James Omotoso invoked Section 7 (6) of the Police Act 2020 which put the tenure of office of any Inspector General of Police at four years and dismissed the suit filed against President Muhammadu Buhari and four others by an Abuja based activist, Micheal Sam Idoko.
The Judge held that the retirement of Alkali Baba Usman from the Nigeria Police Force has nothing to do with his appointment on the ground that the four years tenure is sacrosanct.
Besides, Justice Omotoso said that the plaintiff who claimed to be a social crusader has no jurisdiction in instituting the case under the guise of public interest and held further that, the plaintiff failed to establish having any peculiar or special interest over and above other Nigerians.
The Judge specifically described the plaintiff as a busy body and meddlesome interloper adding that he was not a serving police officer qualified for appointment or ever applied for IGP’s position and denied and that he has no legal right in law in filing the suit.
Ogwu Onoja (SAN) had filed the suit challenging the legality of the continuous stay of the IGP in office having served out his tenure.
The suit marked FHC/ CS/ 31/2023 was subsequently dismissed without any cost against the plaintiff.
*(Courtesy: Tribune, excluding headline)
