Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has ordered all parties in the police recruitment controversy to maintain status quo as the issue is subject of litigation before it.
Justice Inyang Ekwo who issued the restraining order, yesterday, granted an application joining the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), as a party to the suit.
The parties affected by the preservative order of the court are the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police Service Commission (PSC), the Minister of Police Affairs and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The application for the joinder of the AGF was moved by counsel to the defendants, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), who told the court that the AGF was a necessary party to the suit.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Kanu Agabi (SAN) did not object to the application. In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2019, the Police Service Commission is seeking for an injunctive order against the defendants and their privies or agents from appointing, recruiting or attempting to appoint or recruit by any means whatsoever, any person in the Nigeria Police Force pending the determination of the susbstantive suit.
The motion was brought pursuant to order 28 Rule 1of the Federal High Court rules.
Justice Ekwo had while adjourning further proceedings to November 4 ordered all parties to maintain status quo having submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the court.
The Inspector General of Police and the PSC have been in a running over the recruitment of 10, 000 police constables.