Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday slammed a fine of N2 million against the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for refusing to appear in court on two occasions without any reason in the hearing of the seized passport of former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili.
The action of the NIS and specifically his lawyer, Mr J. A. Adamu, was regarded as unprofessional and gross disregard for the court.
Justice Ekwo consequently ordered the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to “take disciplinary action against J. A. Adamu, who has been appearing in court for the respondent/applicant for his unprofessional conduct”.
“I make an order for the counsel to appear in court on the next adjourned date to show cause why I shall not make further order against him,” Justice Ekwo said.
The judge lamented that the federal government agency has continued to show disregard for the court by refusing to comply with the order of the court directing it to release the international passport seized from the former governor at the Abuja International Airport on his return from a foreign trip earlier in the year.
Following the action of the NIS, Odili had approached the court to order the release of his passport as the action of the NIS without any reasonable excuse violated his fundamental human rights
