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A Nigerian High Court in Abuja has returned a fundamental rights suit filed by the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, to the registry for reassignment.
The development followed a decision by Justice Obiora Egwuatu that the 72-hour period given to the respondents to show cause why Adeyemi’s remaining reliefs should be granted had not expired.
The case came before the judge following an earlier order directing the Inspector-General of Police, the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation to respond to Adeyemi’s application.
Adeyemi’s lawyer, Muhammad Abdulaziz, told the court that the respondents had been served and that the applicant was ready to proceed.
“As ordered yesterday, all the respondents have been duly served, and we are ready to proceed,” Abdulaziz said.
Counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mercy Akeredolu, was present in court, while the other respondents were absent.
The court registrar, however, informed the judge that the order was served on the respondents on September 8, and the hearing notice the following day.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently noted that the 72-hour period had yet to expire.
The judge also questioned the validity of the proof of service for the hearing notice, asking whether it had been properly sworn before a commissioner for oaths.
He held that the respondents still had time to respond within the period granted by the court.
“Well, in any case, the 72 hours is not expired. And yesterday, you told me it will expire today, and that was why I fixed today. You know the urgency of your matter; you are the one to do the needful,” the judge said.
Justice Egwuatu thereafter directed that the case file be returned to the registry for reassignment. He also directed Adeyemi to return to court after the 72-hour period had expired and the matter was ready for hearing.
The development came after the court had ordered the police authorities and the Attorney-General of the Federation to show cause within 72 hours why Adeyemi’s remaining reliefs should not be granted.
The court had earlier granted one of the reliefs Adeyemi sought, directing the authorities to allow him access to lawyers of his choice at reasonable hours while in custody.
In the suit, Adeyemi sought six reliefs, including an order for his release, bail pending the determination of the case and access to medical practitioners of his choice.
He also asked the court to restrain the police from interrogating him or obtaining a statement from him without his lawyer present.
The court declined to grant the substantive reliefs ex parte and instead directed that the respondents be given an opportunity to respond.
Adeyemi was arrested in Osun State in July after a High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over his repeated failure to appear for arraignment.
He faces an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, fraud, and impersonation linked to his claim to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has disowned as “fake”.
Adeyemi is expected to be arraigned on September 30, following an earlier order by Justice Mohammed Umar directing security agencies to arrest him and produce him in court after his repeated failure to appear.
