By Kingsley Eze
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja, has fixed April 16 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, from office.
Adamu was appointed in 2019 and had clocked the mandatory 35 years in service on February 1.
He was expected to have retired from service but his tenure was extended by another three months by the president.
Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, subsequently took the IGP to court, contending that by virtue of section 215 of the Nigerian constitution and section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Adamu cannot continue to function as the IGP, having retired as a serving member of the force.
However, in his defence, the IGP told the federal high court that the new Nigeria Police Act gave him a four-year tenure, which would only lapse in either 2023 or 2024.
Supporting Adamu’s position, President Buhari and Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation, who are the second and third defendants in the matter told the court through their lawyer that the law permits the IGP to remain in office until either 2023 or 2024.
At the court session on Tuesday, Ugochukwu Ezekiel, plaintiff counsel, told the court that hearing notice, as well as other court processes, have been served on the Nigerian Police Council (NPC), the fourth defendant in the suit.
All lawyers in the matter adopted their written addresses.
After listening to arguments canvassed by lawyers, Ahmed Mohammed, presiding judge, fixed April 16 for judgment.
