Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said the arrest and transportation of Yusuf Sheriff Banki from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno State, in defiance of a standing court order, was a breach of citizens’ rights and disregard for court order.
Banki, according to Atiku, had obtained an order from Justice M. A. Madugu of the Bwari judicial division, on June 13, restraining the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 15, the Commissioner of Police FCT, their agents, privies or anybody acting on their authority from arresting, intimidating, harassing and threatening him and his families pending the determination of the suit before the court.
The former vice president in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, however, regretted that the police acted in breach of that order.
According to him, the police in Gestapo-style arrested Banki, which he said, “flagrantly violated a valid and subsisting court injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 15, and the Commissioner of Police FCT.
He condemned the action of the law enforcement agency, describing it as lack of respect for the rule of law and citizens’ rights, adding that the incident was “reminiscent of the oppressive military dictatorship era when citizens were detained without adherence to legal processes.”
Atiku reminded the police that Nigeria is a nation of law and order, and called unconditionally release Yusuf Sheriff Banki.
He also condemned the “worrying trend of journalists being arrested under the guise of the cybersecurity law for holding leaders accountable.”