A Federal High Court sitting in the nation's capital has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) from detaining the ex-Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari. This order was issued by Justice Dontus Okorowo in a court ruling on an ex-parte motion filed and argued for Yari by his Lawyer, Micheal Aondoaka, (SAN) on 5TH June 2023. The judge ordered the respondents (EFCC, ICPC, and DSS) to show cause in the next adjourned date on why the prayers sought on the motion ex-parte should not be granted. “The respondents were, however, restrained from detaining the applicant until the return date for the order to show cause,” he ruled.
In an expert motion, the former governor of Zamfara had prayed to the court for an order restraining the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS from arresting him, which will prevent him from participating in the proclamation of the 10th Senate by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on June 13.
Yari, who said he has the desire of contesting the position of the President of the Senate, alleged that some members of his political party the All Progressives Congress are using the respondents and their agents to harass and threaten to arrest him on trumped-up charges for the period leading to the first sitting of the Senate when nominations and election of presiding officers shall be constituted.
“The respondents and their agents have threatened to violate the applicant’s rights as enshrined in the constitution by unlawfully threatening to arrest and detain the applicant. “The respondents and their agents are mandated to operate within the ambit of their establishment laws, and to respect the fundamental human rights of the Applicant as enshrined in the constitution,” he said.
Yari stated that if the order was not given, his rights would have been breached by the respondents. The Justice consequently adjourned the matter till June 8 for the respondents to show cause.
