The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has asked the Magistrate’s Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to cancel the bail granted to Oboyinlo Enenche Peter, a relative of Pastor Paul Enenche.
The request is based on claims that Peter violated his bail conditions in an ongoing criminal defamation case.
Peter, along with Abraham Daniel and others who are currently at large, is facing trial at the Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court in Abuja. They are accused of defaming Pastor Paul Enenche, General Overseer of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, and Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
In a Motion on Notice filed on March 17, the IGP, through his legal representative Francis Gabriel Esq. from the Police Legal Prosecution Section, alleged that Peter had failed to comply with the conditions of his bail. Consequently, the police chief is requesting a court order to detain Peter in a correctional facility until the trial is concluded.
According to Naija News, the application was submitted under various legal provisions, including Section 35(f) and 44(2)(k) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 4 of the Police Act, and relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
The police argue that Peter breached his bail conditions by making several posts on social media, including Facebook and WhatsApp, allegedly defaming Pastor Enenche again—an offense for which he is currently on trial. The application further states that Peter published content related to the ongoing case without the court’s permission, allegedly aiming to discredit the judiciary.
The request to revoke Peter’s bail follows a petition filed by him and his co-defendant, Abraham Daniel, against Chief Magistrate Emmanuel A. Iyanna, accusing him of misconduct and ignoring legal protocols.
In the motion, the police emphasized that the ACJA empowers the court to revoke bail if a defendant commits another offense while on bail. They also argued that without the court’s intervention, the defendants could undermine the justice process.
The case, listed as Inspector General of Police vs. Oboyinlo Enenche Peter, Abraham Daniel, and Others At Large, includes three key requests:
- An order revoking Peter’s bail for violating its conditions.
- An order to remand Peter in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service until the trial concludes.
- Any other relief the court deems necessary in the case.
