Bulletproof cars: Court hears Oduah’s case Nov. 16

A Federal High in Lagos has further adjourned till November 16, 2015 to hear a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

Oduah is seeking protection of the court from possible probe over the purchase of two armoured BMW cars at a cost of N160m in 2013 by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority under her watch.

She had on August 26, 2015 obtained an interim injunction barring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from taking any action against her pending the determination of the suit.

Though after granting the interim injunction on August 26, Justice Mohammed Yunusa adjourned hearing of the main case till October 2, 2015, the matter was however listed for hearing on Wednesday.

It was learnt that questions had trailed the granting of the interim order, necessitating the hearing of the case before the original adjourned date.

But when the case was called on Wednesday, Oduah, EFCC and the Inspector General of Police were not represented in court.

Only the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission was represented by its counsel, Funmilola Oluborode.

The ICPC’s counsel said hearing notice was not issued on the commission, adding that she only came to court on the instruction of one of her superiors, who had on Tuesday sighted the case on the cause list for Wednesday.

In view of the absence of the other parties, Oluborode sought an adjournment till November 16.

The counsel, who said the ICPC had yet to file any response to Oduah’s suit, begged the court to adjourn the case to enable the commission to file its defence.

Though the court pointed out that the suit was a fundamental rights enforcement suit which deserved urgent hearing, the ICPC counsel begged the court to adjourn till November to enable her superior appear in court in person to defend the case.