TheCable

A federal high court in Abuja has restrained the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Kogi government from arresting Murtala Ajaka.

Ajaka is the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the forthcoming November 11 Kogi governorship election.

Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, on Thursday, also restrained the Kogi commissioner of police from arresting or threatening Ajaka’s life, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Ekwo also made an interim order compelling the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the director-general of DSS to provide maximum security around Ajaka in Abuja, Kogi and elsewhere in Nigeria until the suit is determined.

The judge, however, adjourned the matter until July 28 for a hearing.

In the suit moved by Ogwu Onoja, Ajaka’s counsel, Yahaya Bello,  governor of Kogi, NPF, IGP, Kogi commissioner of police, DSS, and DSS director-general were 1st to 6th respondents, respectively.

The applicant also joined the director of DSS command in Kogi; the commandant-general of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); the chief of defence staff; chief of army staff and chief of naval staff in the suit as 7th to 11th respondents in the case.

Ajaka said he began to receive threats to his life after he dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the SDP where he won the party ticket.

The SDP governorship candidate said he escaped an alleged assassination attempt on June 3 in Koton Karfe, on his way back from the palace of one of the traditional rulers, where he went to intimate him of his ambition to run for the election.

He said in the attack, six of his supporters were killed, one campaign vehicle burnt and others riddled with bullets.

He alleged that “the deliberate attempt at assassinating him was done under the direct supervision of the governor of the state”.