The Federal High Court in Abuja has again ordered the police to produce Vijah Opuama, the Bayelsa Governorship Candidate in the Nov. 16, 2019 election.
NAN reports that Justice Taiwo Taiwo, had on Aug. 3 and Sept. 2, ordered that Opuama who was said to be in police custody, be produced in court but the orders were disregarded by the security outfit.
His lawyer, Michael Odey, had, on Aug. 31, brought an ex-parte application before the court, seeking that the police show cause why the detainee should not be released unconditionally.
Following the development, the judge, on Monday, issued the third order, after the police failed to comply with the Sept. 2 order, directing that the detainee be produced in court for the day’s proceedings.
According to the new order, the IG was directed to produce Opuama who was arrested by policemen from the IGP’s Monitoring Unit on Aug. 15, in court on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
“The court made an order that the applicant be produced in this court. That order must be obeyed.
“I shall, therefore, make an order that the applicant must be produced on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
“The applicant must be produced in court on that day unfailing,” the Judge ordered.
He also fixed Sept. 9 for the hearing of Opuama’s bail application.
However, a lawyer, Miss T. O Amalaha, who appeared for the I-G and the head of the Monitoring Unit of the I-G Office, pleaded with the judge to adjourn the case till Sept. 16 instead of Sept. 9.
Amalaha’s plea was declined by the judge who said he could not afford to give the police another seven days after they violated the two previous orders issued for the production of the detainee in court.
“We are in a democracy. Nigeria is not a Banana Republic. Public officers cannot afford to act irrationally,” Justice Taiwo added.
He further threatened that if the police fail to produce the detainee in court, he would order the IG to appear in court.
