Politics
FAKE NEWS: Court restrains Police, DSS, EFCC from arresting, detaining Fani-Kayode, Odumakin
Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday gave an order restraining the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police from arresting or detaining Femi Fani-Kayode and Yinka Odumakin.
The court ruled in favour of an ex-parte application filed by Mr Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume (SAN) on behalf of the duo whom he said had gone into hiding for fear of being arrested by the security operatives
Machukwu-Ume argued, “The spokesman of the EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, was alleged to have made the threat to arrest them publicly at a conference where he represented the EFCC chairman.
Read also: Soyinka says fake news from a Nigerian may start World War III
“He said they are doing everything possible to arrest these two gentlemen just for speaking their minds.
“The EFCC is established to pursue corruption and not comments made by Nigerians, expressing themselves,” he said.
Justice Tsoho who expressed satisfaction in the arguments of the Machukwu-Ume, adjourned the matter till February 4.
“I am satisfied that the applicants have made out a case for the court’s intervention.
“Accordingly, the respondents are restrained from either arresting or detaining the applicants on grounds of the applicants’ public statements pending the determination of the application on notice,” the judge ruled.
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