Offa robbery: IGP Idris to enforce Saraki’s appearance in court

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has directed that the court summons against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in relation to the ongoing investigation into the April 5, 2018 bank robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State, be served on him.

The IGP has asked a unit within the Nigeria Police Force’s Legal Department, Force headquarters, Abuja to ensure the prompt delivery of the court processes on Saraki before the next date, October 3 2018.

On Monday, at the Grade 1 Area Court, Aco Estate, Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, a lawyer, E. S. Marcus conveyed the IGP’s directive at the resumed proceedings in a criminal complaint made against Saraki by an Abuja-based lawyer, Oluwatosin Ojaomo.

Ruling in the complaint marked: CR/196/2018, filed under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede had on September 10, ordered the issuance of summons on the IGP following Saraki’s absence in court.

The judge had summoned the IGP to attend court on September 17 to show cause why Saraki was absent in court and what efforts he had made to ensure his appearance.

On Monday, Marcus told the court that although the IGP and Saraki were absent in court, he was informed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, identified as Mahmoud that the IGP had directed a unit to ensure the delivery of all processes in relation to the case on Saraki.

He said, “The defendant is not in court. At the last date, the court issued a witness summons on the IGP to come and show cause why the police failed to effect service of the criminal summons, warrant of arrest and other processes on the defendant.

“The witness summons was served on the Nigeria Police Force by the court’s registry.

“However, we received a call from DSP Mahmoud of the Legal Department of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, that the matter has been assigned by the IGP to a particular unit of the NPF to effect the service of the summons on the defendant and arrest him.”

Marcus urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the police effect service of the processes on the defendant.

Justice Ogbede consequently adjourned the case till October 3.