A Federal High Court, Abuja, has asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to maintain the status quo in the investigation of violence that rocked Rivers State during the re-run legislative elections on December 10, 2016.
The court said that in the event of the IGP going ahead with the probe before the issue of its jurisdiction on the matter was established, it still has the power to void the action.
In a brief ruling last Monday, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that it was necessary to resolve the issue of jurisdiction of the court brought by the respondent before going into the substantive suit.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had filed an application to stop the police from investigating activities surrounding the December 10, 2016 re-run elections in the state.
Wike had asked the Court in Abuja to stop the IGP’s probe into the various acts of violence and roles played by individuals in the re-run legislative elections.
However, when the case came up yesterday, counsel to the IGP, Mr. Deji Morakinya, raised preliminary objections to the application, arguing that it would amount to preventing the police from performing their constitutional and statutory duties if Wike’s prayers were granted.
He also prayed the court for interlocutory injunction to stop Wike from continuing with the suit.
The governor’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said that he would respond to the issues raised in the counter-affidavit and interlocutory at the appropriate time but urged the court to order the IGP or his agents to maintain the status quo on the matter until issues raised in the originating summons are resolved.
Ozekhome said, “the police have admitted that some actions have been taken in the matter before the court but this ought not to be. Hence, the question is whether they should use the issue of jurisdiction to continue to go on with their activities when the court has not determined whether it has jurisdiction or not. They have admitted that they have carried out actions concerning this matter before this court; they are saying that we are carrying out investigation and dismissed some policemen in the matter whilst they ought to stay execution so that they would not be fait accompli. This is my worry.”
“This is no right; otherwise it will be fait accompli and an affront on this court. They should give an undertaking that when arguing the matter, they should stay action for now,” Ozekhome prayed the court.
In a bench ruling, the trial judge, Justice Kolawole said that the police have nothing to lose if the investigation was suspended.
However, the court said that the police have the option to continue with their investigation or not, adding that the court has the power to declare the findings invalid at the end.
According to Justice Kolawole, the issue of jurisdiction is to be resolved first before going into the substance of the matter.
“The issue of jurisdiction of court is said to be sacrosanct until otherwise proven,” he added.
“I see no injuries to be suffered by the defendants if asked to stay action. However, they have the option to go ahead or not but let me say that the court still has the power to declare the findings of the investigation by the police invalid,” he held.
The matter was adjourned till February 10, 2016 for arguments on the applications.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Wike to investigate the killings and other violent acts during the elections has commenced hearing of petitions submitted to it.
The commission was inaugurated on December 22, 2016 by the governor in exercise of his powers pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law of Rivers State (Cap 30) Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999 and other powers enabling him in that behalf.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, in his inaugural speech, stated that the commission is not aimed at witch-hunting anybody or group of persons.
Justice Nwogu maintained that the commission would employ and adopt all-known procedures that will ensure fairness to all parties.
A chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Commissioner for Urban Development, Chinyere Igwe, who testified at the maiden sitting, could not conclude due to a video, which according to him, needs to be tendered before the commission.
Two other witnesses cross-examined by the commission – Lekuu Mgba and Frank David – in their statements, accused the Nigerian Army, Hon. Bari Mpigi and Nnala William of sponsoring the violence that occurred at Tai Local Government Area of the state which claimed the life of one Mr. Donwi Nte
In another development, the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says the All Progressives Congress, APC, is at its clandestine plot again,  plotting to take advantage of the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate alleged cases of killings during the December 10, 2016, re-run elections in the State to further their criminal and evil intentions against the government and leadership of the PDP in the State.
Part of the  ongoing clandestine plot, Rivers PDP gathered is to contract the services of some notorious gangsters as their hatchet men to frame up the State Governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, as their paymasters for the alleged killings, particularly the murder of ASP Molid Alkali and his orderly.
Obuah in a statement by his Special Adivser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needem said the hatchet men, who are still negotiating on how much to be paid for the satanic job, have been given the phone numbers of the State governor and the State PDP Chairman, Bro Obuah, to reflect same in their phones, as though they have been having regular communication with them as allies.
According to him, hatchet men, who are being mobilized, will in turn be accused by their paymasters, the APC chairman, and his co-plotters, will be arrested with arms and ammunitions, and upon interrogation, they will falsely admit that they were sent to carry out the alleged killings by Governor Wike and Bro Obuah.
The middleman, one Mr. George, according to information available to the PDP, is making the contact with the criminals while a certain former Commissioner, had assured the boys that they would be released by the police after playing the dirty job to rope in Governor Wike and Bro Obuah.
‘Oga George’ (as called by the gangster point-man), is an APC member,who said the action is in the collective interest of his party, the APC. He also assured the boys that the APC is working with the DSS and the Police, and would dictate to the Police and the DSS authorities what will happen, affirming that the notorious gangsters would be paid handsomely for playing the devil’s role to falsely rope in Gov. Wike and Bro. Obuah, the statement said..
It said the PDP is sufficiently aware of this satanic plot by the agents of the devil, with concrete evidence of live discussions between the gangsters and the plotters, and is waiting for them to make true their plot.
“But let it be known that one thing is to make wild allegations and quite another, to prove and be able to stand the dire consequences of such unfounded, baseless, concocted, and malicious allegations.
While we await them to hatch their evil plot, we wish to put the security agencies, particularly, the Inspector General of Police, the Rivers people, the international community and the whole world on notice about the next round of the many APC’s wicked plans to destabilize Rivers State, the statement said.
Rivers PDP said in an  unmistakable terms that it was not shaken by the uncovered plot, but assured that APC have failed before they started.
The good Lord that has been fighting our battles is not tired yet and will also disgrace them in their new plot.
While we reassure the good people of Rivers State that the PDP-led government will never relent in its efforts to keep its promises and defend the mandate entrusted to it, we also advise our brothers, who are APC members to join hands with our performing governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, to move the State to its deserved height, and desist forthwith, from the evil plot to incite another round of crisis in the state the statement said,.
It said that the crisis, no matter how coloured or to whom it’s aimed at, is an ill-wind that blows no one any good.
It would be recalled that the continued efforts of Technical Intelligence support from the TIU and 48 PMF arrested one of the key gang members, Christian Chukwuemeka Ekiekame, aka Prince Okoroma, native of Okposi village, that killed and beheaded DSP Molid Alkali and his orderly, and retrieved the late DSP’s phone from him.
He was quoted to have confessed to the crime, and the gang member also mentioned a former Commissioner and chieftain of the APC in Rivers State as their alleged sponsor.
Regrettably, the Police have not done anything to prosecute the said former Commissioner, obviously, because he is an APC member.