Summon refusal: Court orders arrest of DPO in Niger

By Wole Mosadomi

Minna—A Minna High Court, yesterday, issued a bench warrant of arrest on the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Mokwa, Wakili Inusa, for refusing to receive a court summon from the bailiff.

The presiding Judge of High Court 4, Justice Mohammed Mohammed, issued the arrest of the DPO at its sitting in Minna.

The Court balilff informed the Court that the DPO refused to take the court summon from him (baliff) after reading through a case of fundamental rights enforcement by one Isyaku and others.

The plaintiff, Isyaku, and others are requesting that their fundamental rights to human dignity, personal liberty, fair hearings, freedom of movement, and the right to bail be upheld.

Respondents include the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Deputy Commissioner of Police Bello of the FIB Special Taskforce, Mokwa DPO Wakili Inusa, and Hamza Baba.

Counsel to the applicants, Philip Emmanuel had told the Court that the plaintiffs were arrested in Abuja and had been incarcerated for almost three months by the police in Abuja.
Justice Mohammed Mohammed described refusal of the DPO to receive the personal service of the court processes as an affront on the administration of criminal justice system, saying “As a law enforcement officer, the DPO is supposed to uphold the rule of law as done by the 1st and 2nd Respondents who are his superiors.

“This court cannot encourage such misconduct from anybody especially the law enforcement officer.

“In view of the above, bench warrant is hereby issued against Wakili Inusa, DPO Mokwa to be brought to this court forthwith. “

The Judge also ordered the immediate release of all the applicants in the matter.