Court refuses to release Ifeanyi Ubah over conflicting orders

By Innocent Anaba

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, declined to compel the Directorate of State Security, DSS, to release oil magnet, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah. The trial judge in the matter is Justice Mohammed Idris.

It will be recalled that the judge had on May 9, while granting an ex-parte application argued by Ubah’s lawyer, Mrs.Ifeoma Esom, ordered the DSS and its Director-General, to produce him in court, yesterday or show cause while he will not be produced.

At the hearing of the matter, Ubah’s lawyer, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, urged the court to order the immediate release of his client, Ubah, due to flagrant disobedience to the order made on May 8.

While urging the court to order the immediate release of Ubah, Oluyede told the court that instead of the DSS producing his client as ordered by the court, the respondents served them with notice of preliminary objection.

She also informed the court that the respondents went to an Abuja High Court, where it obtained a remand order of his client despite the fact that a Federal High Court, Lagos had ordered that he should be produced in court.

Oluyede told the court that in disobeying the court order, the DSS and its Director-General acted in subversion to the authority and dignity of the court by utilizing what he termed as ‘abuse of court and power.’

Oluyede further told the court that when Ubah was first arrested on March 19, 2017, and released after three weeks that he was coerced to discontinue the fundamental rights application which he earlier filed against the respondents. He added that upon discontinuing the application he was invited and arrested again.

Ubah’s lawyer also told the court that during his client’s second arrest, he was coerced to signed documents that he was indebted to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and to pledge with his assets for the debt. Whereas, he was being owned by NNPC the total sum of N14,039, 125, 125 billion.

He submitted that the DSS and its Director-General have not shown cause in compliance with the court order while he should not be released.

He, therefore, urged the court to order DSS to release Ubah immediately.

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