UGAR UKANDI ODEY, JOS
A former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafiya has proceeded to a High Court in Jos to enforce his fundamental human rights in a matter he regards as plot by the Nigeria Police to cause him double jeopardy.
According to Mailafiya, the letter of invitation from the Police Criminal Investigation Department to him is a photocopy, noting further that the issue over which the Nigeria Police wants to investigate him is not unconnected with an internal security charge already before the Department of State Security, and that another proceedings by the Nigeria Police could only amount to double jeopardy.
In an address on the development presented by the head of Mailafiya’s legal team, Yakubu Nawa, Mailafiya was advised to shun the Police invitation as the legal team argued that the matter under investigation is an internal security issue, and only the Department of State Security is statutorily saddled with the responsibility to handle matters of internal security, insisting that presently, the matter is still being investigated by the DSS.
“However, as legal defence team to Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, we have carefully and meticulously analysed the letter of invitation served on him
as well as the intention of the Nigeria Police Force as clearly stated in the said letter of invitation”, Nawa noted, adding that “we immediately approached the High Court of Justice Plateau State and filed an action for
the enforcement of his fundamental rights to personal liberty and fair hearing as enshrined in our Constitution”.
“At same time”, Nawa contended further, “we are challenging the letter of invitation served on him by the office of the DIG Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja which is a photocopy”.
According to the legal team, “we are praying the Honourable Court to make judicial pronouncement on the letter of invitation served on Dr. Obadiah Mailafia”, and “we are equally
subjecting the invitation made by the office of the DIG Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja to Dr. Obadiah Mailafia to appear for an interview under judicial scrutiny”.
Nawa also said the team believes that “it is significant to hear the decision of the Court on these germane issues”, as “it is necessary also for the office of the DIG Force CID to wait for the judicial verdict in order to know whether it is appropriate and in tandem with our extant laws for the Nigeria Police Force to invite Dr. Obadiah Mailafia in the midst of an ongoing investigation by the DSS on a matter that is related to internal security”.
