Peace Corps Commandant’s N2b suit stalls over service

The suit instituted against the Nigeria Police and others by the Commandant Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh could not go on Wednesday due to none service of court processes on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of State Security Services who are the 1st and 2nd respondents.

The Peace Corps of Nigeria, had on March 9, slammed a N2bn suit against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police, the Director-General of State Services (SSS), the State Security Services, National Security Adviser and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), who are 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents, respectively, over the arrest and detention of its National Commandant, Amb (Dr.) Dickson Akoh and 49 others.

When the case resumed on Wednesday, counsel to the police, Peter Igbodo said he just learnt of the case in court.

He said he came to court for another matter, only to be confronted with the processes.

Igbodo said he needed time, at least a week, to react to it for the interest of justice. He said his attention was drawn to the development that the processes was served on the police, but he was not informed.

“My lord it is not deliberate attempt to slow down the matter but an oversight. Now the there is a window for me to come in, please allow me for the interest of justice”, he said.

John Ochugo, who stood in for Chief Kanu Agabi, also pleaded for a short adjournment to respond to the counter affidavit filed by the 3rd – 6th respondents.

He said though the counter affidavit was filed in May by counsel to the 3rd – 6th respondents, it was only brought to his knowledge in the court room today.

He said this might be a deliberate ploy to slow down the progress of the case.

He noted, “though they filed counter affidavit they failed to serve us until today at the court shortly before the proceedings started and I communicated this development to my Chief (Agabi) , he passionately asked me to convey to this court to ask for a adjourned date to respond to this application ”

Counsel to the 3rd to 6th respondents, T. G. Agbe, said it was true that the counter affidavit could not be served on the plaintiff because of mobilisation, adding it was not deliberate attempt to slow down the case as alleged by counsel to the plaintiff.

However, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court, Abuja adjourned to June 28, 2017, to enable the 1st and 2nd respondents respond to the motion and allow counsel to the plaintiff respond to the counter affidavit.

Security agencies had on February 28,2017, raided the new National Headquarters of the Corps, arresting the National Commandant and 49 others.

In the legal action instituted by a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Agabi, the plaintiffs are demanding a sum of N2bn as compensation for the embarrassment caused the Peace Corps of Nigeria and its Incorporated Trustees.

In the suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to also declare as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional, the arrest of Amb. Akoh and other officers of the Corps as well as the sealing off of its Head office in Abuja and offices in the 36 States of the Federation.

The Plaintiffs further asked the court to declare that, under the 1999 constitution as amended, they have not committed any offence to warrant their arrest, detention and sealing up of their offices across the country as done by the defendants.