Court threatens to arrest IGP Ibrahim Idris

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has threatened to arrest Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, over his "flagrant disobedience of its order" to release Mr Olalekan Alabi, Personal Assistant on Political Matters to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed,

The threat was contained in a Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court (Form 48) dated 10th August, 2018.

The Notice was signed by the Registrar of the Court and addressed to the IGP, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

It reads as follows: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in the order of the High Court of Justice of Kwara State delivered on the 1st of August, 2018, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

Alabi has been in police custody in Abuja since May 30, following his arrest over his alleged link with some of the suspects being held for the Offa bank robbery of April.

What is the Offa bank robbery?

Nine police officers and at least 24 others lost their lives when a group of around 30 armed robbers attacked Union Bank, Eco Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Micro Finance Bank, as well as the Owode Police Station in Offa, Kwara State, on April 5, 2018.

22 suspects have been arrested and some of them were presented to the press during a media briefing on June 3, 2018.

According to police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood, the main gang leaders were Ayoade Akinnibosun (aka, AY), Ibikunle Ogunleye (aka Arrow), Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran, all indigenes of Oro, Irepodun local government area of Kwara.

Alabi gets bail but police continues to hold him

On August 1, 2018, Justice Ibrahim A. Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court,

While granting him an interim bail in the sum of N20million with two reliable sureties in like sum, Justice Yusuf held that the police had failed to justify why they have kept the governor’s aide in detention for over two months.

But despite the court order, the police has failed to release the governor's political aide from its custody.