Barely 24 hours after it approached a Federal High Court, Abuja to stop the ongoing judicial panels of inquiry set up by state governors to probe alleged police brutality and human rights abuses, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has applied to withdraw the suit.
The notice of discontinuance was filed by its counsel, Festus Ibude, who stated that the NPF wishes to withdraw the suit against all the defendants.
The police had in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, through its counsel, Mr. O.M Atoyebi sought an order restraining the 36 states’ Attorneys-General and their various panels of inquiry set up by state governors from probing alleged police brutality and human rights abuses of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other police tactical units.
The NPF contended that state governments lacked the power to constitute the panels to investigate activities of the police force and its officials in the conduct of their statutory duties.
It therefore urged the court to restrain the 36 states’ Attorneys-General and their various panels of inquiry from going ahead with the probe focussing on police impunity.
The NPF argued that the state governments’ decision to set up such panels violated the provisions of section 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Constitution and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act.
The Force also argued that by virtue of the provisions of 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution only the Federal Government had exclusive power to “organise, control and administer the Nigeria Police Force”.