Police in Delta have declared former minister of state for education Kenneth Gbagi wanted over the alleged dehumanisation of four workers at his hotel in Effurun area of the state.
Delta police spokesperson Onome Onovwakpoyeya in a statement on Wednesday said Mr Gbagi was invited by the Commissioner of Police Hafiz Inuwa over the allegations raised on September 26.
The spokesperson said Gbagi failed to honour the invitation on Monday due to pressing obligations and that he also failed to appear 48 hours later.
“Kenneth Gbagi personally and severally called and gave the excuse that he has at a burial ceremony of his elder sister on Friday 25/9/2020 in which he is a key player and asked for time to finish with the ceremony on Sunday, thereafter will report at the State Headquarters on Monday September 28, 2020. These requests were granted on humanitarian ground,” the statement read.
“On Monday September 28th, 2020, Kenneth Gbagi called the Commissioner of Police to say that he has a Court case to attend to, promising to report at the Police Headquarters in Asaba by 3:00pm; again he was equally obliged.
“On the same date, the Commissioner of Police had to call him at about 5:00pm before the same Kenneth Gbagi said he was on his way to the State HQ Asaba.
“Sadly and unfortunately Kenneth Gbagi still failed to report instead he went into the public space to disparage, blackmail and maligned the person of the Commissioner of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, Delta State Command for insisting on investigating him.
“Having failed to honour his promises, Delta State Police Command is left with no option than to declare Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi wanted.”
The police urged members of the public with information on his whereabouts to come forward.
Meanwhile, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday granted an interim order restraining the IGP and operatives of the Delta State Police Command and its agents from threatening, arresting or detaining Gbagi.
In an exparte motion filed through his counsel Nkem Okoro, Gbagi prayed the court to restrain the police from further going after him pending the determination of his fundamental right case.
