Court to IGP: Appear before Senate

The Federal High Court, Abuja, has struck out a suit instituted by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, seeking an order restraining his appearance before the Senate.
Delivering judgement on the suit on Tuesday, Justice John Tsoho held that the suit was struck out on the grounds of abuse of court process.
Tsoho said he did not see any harm that could have been caused to Idris if he appeared before the Senate himself.
Tsoho held that the plaintiff’s resolve to come to court rather than answer the summons of the Senate amounted to an abuse of court process.
The police boss had filed the suit seeking to restrain the Senate, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and their agents from compelling him to appear before the Senate in person.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, had in a counter-affidavit, accused the I-G of using the court to avoid honouring invitation.
The IGP had, however, said he had on the said date been directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to be among the presidential entourage to Bauchi State.
Idris averred that the content of the Senate summons was ambiguous and confusing.
According to him, the letter clearly shows the upper chamber’s readiness to interfere with the criminal investigation of one its members, Senator Dino Melaye.
Idris, therefore, urged the court to declare that the letter of invitation relating to pending criminal proceedings against Melaye in court was beyond his powers.
The IGP had hinged his claims on Sections 88 and 6(6) (b) of the 1999 Constitution and the Senate Standing Order, 2015.
In a related development, Tsoho declined to entertain another suit filed by the IGP, in which he is challenging the Senate for declaring him unfit to hold public office.
The judge, therefore, returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High  Court for re-assignment to another judge.