Justice Iyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday issued another warning to Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and it’s counsel Jimoh Abdulkadir Adamu to show cause why the court order directing release of Peter Odili’s seized International passport has not been obeyed.
The court had on October 18, 2021 in a judgment on a suit filed by Odili, ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service to release Odili’s International passport numbers B50031305, seized from him on June 20, 2021 on arrival from London for unconvincingly reason of being on the watch list.
Instead of complying with the order ,NIS brought an application for a stay of execution of the judgment without any proof that the agency has successfully lodged an appeal .
When the hearing resumed on Friday, January 21, 2021 Odili’s lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe SAN recalled the order of December 21 last year issued by the court that the Immigration’s senior lawyer must appear in court today .He lamented that for the second time Adamu was not in court and had bluntly refused to release the passport as ordered by court.
Adedipe noted that Adamu has failed to obey a subsisting order that the passport be deposited with the Registrar of the court pending the hearing of his motion for stay of execution.
He added that Adamu has consistently failed to attend court despite being served with hearing notice in relation to his pending motion.
Adedipe urged the court to among others, penalise Adamu for disrespecting the court and treating it with contempt.
But, one Babagana Abba, a counsel who identified himself as a colleague of Adamu apologized to the court for the absence of the senior lawyer adding that he was sick and may find his way to the court later.
However, unimpressed with the apology, Justice Ekwo said in the interest of fair hearing, he would give the lawyer another opportunity.
“This honourable court knows what to do and how to do it but in the interest of fair hearing, I am giving him another chance. Let him deny himself fair hearing, then, court will take necessary steps.”
Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed February 7 for the lawyer to appear in court for his defense in the alleged unprofessional conduct.
However, Adamu was sighted outside the court room instructing his team on the next steps to take.