‘Court grants police 90 days to detain Evans’

An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Abba Kyari, has disclosed that the police has the court’s backing to detain the kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans, for 90 days, contrary to insinuations in some quarters that he is being held illegally.

Kyari is the police officer who led the special squad of policemen that smashed Evans’ gang, said the detention is to allow for thorough investigation of the suspect.

The ACP, who spoke on Friday, said: “All those who want Evans released did not know that the police had obtained a 90 -day warrant to detain him.”

According to him, the detention warrant was obtained on June 21.

The Daily Times recalls that Evans had challenged his continued detention in court, describing it as illegal.

The kidnap kingpin is also praying the court to order his immediate release if they cannot arraign him in court immediately.

Evans is further demanding for N300million damages from the police for his “illegal” detention.

But Kyari said: “We envisaged that they would do that hence we beat them to it.”

In his fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on his behalf by a Lagos lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans claimed that his continued detention without trial was illegal.

He is also asking the court to direct the respondents to immediately charge him to court if there is any case against him in accordance with Sections 35 (1) (c) (3) (4) (5) (a) (6) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The Daily Times further recalls that Ogungbeje is the same lawyer who filed an application over the humongous N13billion cash recovered by the EFCC in a private home in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Lagos- based lawyer had urged the court not to forfeit the cash and stayed proceedings until its owners were disclosed.

He also wanted the court to stay proceedings pending the outcome of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN)- led committee on suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir David Lawal and suspended Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Olushola Oke.

But Justice Muslim Hassan in his judgment over the matter, dismissed Ogungbeje’s suit on the grounds that he lacked the locus standi to file the suit.

Forfeiting the said N13billion to the federal government, Justice Hassan further held that Ogungbeje was a busy body and an interloper who was out to waste the time of court and distract the court in a serious matter in which he was not involved.