Police withdraw suit against judicial panels of inquiry

By our reporter| The Nigeria Police Force on Friday applied to withdraw the suit it filed against the judicial panels of inquiry set up to probe allegations of brutality and human rights abuses against the force.

In a notice of discontinuance filed by Mr. Festus Ibude, a police counsel, the Force said it wished to withdraw the suit against all the defendants.

In a suit filed by Mr. O.M Atoyebi, the force had argued that the establishment of panels of inquiry by state governors to investigate its activities was illegal and unconstitutional.

It asked the court to restrain the thirty-six state governors listed as defendants from conducting any investigation to probe the affairs of the security agency.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Thursday in a statement signed by the force public relations officer, expressed his disapproval of the suit and ordered an investigation.

Mr. Adamu insisted that the force is committed to fulfilling all its obligations with regard to the disbandment of the defunct sars, adding that the officer responsible for the suit has been queried and may be sanctioned “if found guilty of dereliction of duty”.