Mike Ille Is Not On The Run - Lawyer

Barr. First Baba Isa, Counsel to Mike Ille 

The legal counsel to Mike Ille have denied the declaration made Remi Adeoye, a purported Police Officer on his Facebook page alleging that their client is on the run.

Barr. First Baba Isa, the lead counsel to Ille in a statement said that their client has nothing to run for and is not evading arrest as insinuated by the Police officer.

Read the full statement :

"Mike Ille Is Not On The Run And Has Nothing To Run From

We are Solicitors to Mike Ile and issue this Press Statement in that capacity.

Our attention has been drawn to a declaration by one Remi Adeoye, a purported Police Officer, on his Facebook timeline that: “Finally, the manhunt for Mike Ile has started. A court has issued a warrant for his arrest and Prosecution”

Mike Ille during a visit to force headquarters, Abuja 

The stated declaration insinuates strongly that our client is on the run and that he is evading police arrest. This Press Statement is not in any way to join issues with the said Police Officer but to state categorically and in clear terms that our client, Mike Ile is not on the run and is not evading any arrest, real or imagined.

Today, the 13th of November, 2017, at about 11:33am we went with our client to the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit situated at the Federal Capital Territory Force Command Building, near Old Central Bank of Nigeria to follow up on a petition we wrote; we also inquired about the warrant of arrest that has been purportedly issued for the arrest of our client and the Police told us categorically that they do not know anything about such a warrant of arrest. Our client walked out of there without being detained even a second against his wish. (Please see photos attached).

Mike Ille during a visit to force headquarters, Abuja

Interestingly a police officer even doubted our assertion that an officer of the Nigerian Police will post about a warrant of arrest on his Facebook Timeline. We insisted; but he also insisted in his doubts. We became curious and asked why he thinks a police officer cannot do that and he told us that doing such will be illegal. He referred us to the Nigerian Police Regulation that makes it an offence for any police officer to do so.

Informing the public about a warrant of arrest goes contrary to Paragraph (b) (ii) of the First Schedule of the Nigeria Police Regulation. This Schedule is made pursuant to Regulation 370 and deals with OFFENCES AGAINST DISCIPLINE. The said Paragraph (b) (ii) states that: “A member of the Force which commits any of the following acts or omission shall be guilty of an offence against discipline – (b) BREACH OF CONFIDENCE, that is to say, if he – (ii) gives notice, directly or indirectly to a person against whom a warrant or summons has been or is about to be issued, except in the lawful execution of that warrant or service of that summons.”

Maybe Mr Remi Adeoye broadcasted about the warrant of arrest “… in the lawful execution of that warrant or service of that summons.” One will only wonder why the said warrant was not published for all to see. Which court issued the warrant, when and where? Time will tell. The purpose of this Press Statement is not to argue law. The place for that is already being prepared and the time is coming upon us already.

Mike Ille during a visit to force headquarters, Abuja

This is just to sound it loud and clear that according to the police, no known warrant of arrest has been issued for the arrest of Mike Ile. Today, we did not go to one village police station; we went to the IG Monitoring Unit in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. If they say they do not know about any warrant of arrest, then who knows? However, if such a warrant exist or if any law enforcement agency wants to question or prosecute our client, he is ready. Our client is not running. He has nothing to run from. Let his accusers come out, let them bring all the evidence they claim they have and prosecute him. They should stop hiding in Facebook inboxes. Or are they running?

We understand why anyone will want to brag about the issuance of a mere warrant of arrest. This is Nigeria where many persons erroneously conclude that once you are arrested you are guilty, convicted and condemned. So it is easy to misled people into thinking you are fighting crime the right way by just mentioning “warrant of arrest” or “arrest”. But we are glad most Nigerians are enlightened enough to know that an arrest is not the same thing as convicted. The usual strategy to use “arrest” to shame or make a citizen look like a convict will fail in the face of an enlightened people and a prepared legal team and strategy.

No manhunt has been declared for Mike Ile. He is not running. He is not hiding. He is in Abuja. He has always been in Abuja. Any law enforcement agency that wants to see him can reach him or reach us through official channels and Mike will go to meet with them even tomorrow morning".

Thank You.

F. Baba Isa, Esq.,
For: FBI LEGAL, Abuja.
[Counsel to Mike Ile]
07037162029