Court Orders Police To Vacate Benue Assembly

The Benue State High court on Friday ordered the Nigerian police to vacate the State Assembly Complex.

The 22 Benue lawmakers who impeached Terkimbi Ikyange as Speaker of the Assembly were barred by the police from gaining access to the legislative chamber for plenary.

The Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Adam Onum, also restrained the Commissioner Of Police, the Inspector General Of Police and the Department Of State Services, and their agents from sealing off the premises of the state assembly complex where the 22 applicants carry out their legislative duties.

Justice Onum granted an ex parte order of interim restraining the impeached speaker and  ordered Ikyange from parading himself as the Speaker of the House.

Also, his Deputy, James Okefe Ejembi and the former Majority leader, Benjamin Tilley Adanyi were ordered by the court to stop parading themselves as principal officers of the state assembly, pending the determination of a suit filed by the 22 lawmakers.

Justice Onum said the decision to restrain the speaker, his deputy and majority leaders follow a motion filed by 22 lawmakers.

Hearing in the substantive matter has been fixed for August 6th, 2018.