By John Ameh
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from taking over the assets and property belonging to the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari.
Justice Taiwo in a ruling on Monday, in a ex-parte application for interim injunctions, argued on Friday by Yari’s lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), also restrained the ICPC and AGF from interfering with Yari’s enjoyment of the rights enshrined in sections 34, 35, 37, 41 and 43 of the Constitution.
Specifically, the judge directed parties in the case to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The judge said the orders made, are to subsist pending the determination of the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mr. Yari.
Justice Taiwo, who on Friday granted the ICPC’s request to freeze Yari’s accounts in Polaris and Zenith banks, said the orders made on Monday do not affect the earlier one relating to only accounts in the two banks.
The orders granted in the judge’s ruling on Monday are:
“An order of interim injunction retraining the respondents from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting the assets and properties of the applicant wherever they may be located within Nigeria or anywhere else in the world pending the hearing and determination of the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from unlawfully interfering with the applicants‘ rights to Sections 34, 35, 37, 41 and 43 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) until the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
*An order of this honourable court directing the parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. The ex-governor, in seeking the orders granted on Monday, stated that he has been subjected to various forms of intimidation, arrest and detention based on spurious allegations by some powerful elements of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against him to the agents of the 1st and 2nd respondents (AGF and ICPC),” among others.
