The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has applied to withdraw the suit it filed to stop various panels probing allegations of rights abuses, corruption and extrajudicial killing by police officials, especially officers attached to defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
NPF lawyer, O. M. Atoyebi (SAN) had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020 on November 9, 2020 to challenge the panels.
However, after the outraged raised by Nigerians on Thursday, November 3 when the news of the case was reported, the police went back to file a notice of discontinuance on Friday morning.
The suit filed by a lawyer to the NPF, Festus Ibude, reads: “Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants.”
Listed as defendants in the case include the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the attorneys-general of the states and chairmen of the panels set up by the states.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had earlier denied authorising the suit and ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding its filing.
Meanwhile, the presidency yesterday also expressed dismay over the news that the police launched a legal battle against the ongoing proceedings by judicial panels.
