The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court, Abuja that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, has no pending petition or criminal matters with police in anywhere in the country.
The IGP also clarified that Tinubu is not a suspect to the Nigeria Police, hence, cannot be put on trial and added that the reasons the police, under his watch did not go after Tinubu were contained in an affidavit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by a counsel, Wisdom Emmanuel Madaki.
In a counter affidavit to a suit filed by a civil group seeking an order of mandamus to compel the IGP to arrest and prosecute Tinubu for perjury and certificate forgery, the Police boss maintained that Police have no power to prosecute Tinubu without any known offence committed.
Although, the affidavit claimed that Tinubu has no pending petition before police, the IGP however admitted having two different petitions from a civil group, Incorporated Trustees of Center for Reform and Public Advocacy requesting for arrest and prosecution of Tinubu for alleged perjury and certificate forgery related offences.
The IGP however explained that the two petitions were predicated on allegations that had been adjudicated upon by Supreme Court in 2002 in a suit filed by late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and that since the alleged perjury and certificate forgery had been resolved by the apex court, there was no need for police to reopen the matter again.
Besides, the IGP said that police does not need any court order to make arrest and prosecute since it derives its powers from the Constitution and statutes. He therefore, asked the Court to dismiss the suit brought against him and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for want of merit and jurisdiction, adding that the plaintiff will not be prejudiced if the suit is dismissed.
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