A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has nullified the legislative arrest order issued against Professor Smith Jaja, the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences, by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Presiding over the fundamental rights application, the court declared the Assembly’s directive—prompted by the Vice-Chancellor’s alleged failure to appear before an ad hoc committee on September 25—null, void, and of no effect.
Key Highlights of the Ruling:
- Limits of Legislative Powers: The presiding judge held that the legislature possesses no constitutional authority to indict or adjudicate on the guilt of any individual, emphasizing that its investigative powers under Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution are strictly confined to gathering evidence for legislative purposes.
- Perpetual Injunction: The court issued a perpetual injunction barring the Rivers State House of Assembly, the police, and any other security agency from arresting, detaining, or otherwise interfering with Professor Jaja’s personal liberty in connection with the matter.
- Financial Damages: Alongside the declaratory and injunctive reliefs, the court ordered the Rivers State House of Assembly to pay ₦2 million in damages to the applicant for the violation of his fundamental human rights.
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