LAGOS- Former EFCC Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the Police Service Commission from deploying him as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)

Ribadu had sued the Commission, the IGP and the Attorney- General of the Federation, challenging the constitutionality of his alleged demotion from Assistant Inspector General of Police to DCP.

At the resumed hearing of the suit, Ribadu told the court that he had filed a motion ex-parte, urging it to grant an order of interim injunction retraining the defendants from acting as if he held any other rank than that of AIG.

Ribadu, through his counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, also asked the court to grant him leave to issue and serve the defendants the originating summons outside Lagos and in Abuja .

Oyetibo said the main reason his client was asking for an interim injunction was to seek judicial protection of Ribadu’s life.

“Ribadu became aware on October. 24 that he was to be deployed as DCP to a location where his life would be in danger,’’ Oyetibo said.

He argued that unless the court restrained the defendants, they might, before the hearing of the suit, tamper with, interfere or prevent him from enjoying his rights, privileges and perquisites of the rank of an AIG.

“The duty of the court at this stage is to preserve the issue in contention in the motion on notice.

“The res (the issue in contention, that is, the legality of the demotion) is the right of the plaintiff not to be subjected to indignity of the demotion from the rank of AIG to DCP before the court looks into the substantive suit,’’ he said.

Oyetibo urged the court to stop the consequences Ribadu’s deployment as a DCP would cause before the hearing of the legality of the demotion.

In his ruling, Justice Abdullahi Mustapha held that the motion ex-parte succeeded in part.

“Leave is granted to the plaintiff to serve the defendants the originating summons outside Lagos and in Abuja .

“As for the issue of interim injunction I am not prepared to go into it till I hear from the other sides (the defendants),’’ the judge said.
He adjourned the suit until November 3.