Bulkachuwa Asks Court to Stop ICPC From Arresting Him Over Remark in Senate

A former Senator representing Bauchi North Senatorial District, Muhammed Bulkachuwa, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to restrain the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from arresting him over the comments he made during the valedictory session of the last Senate.

The ex-lawmaker had during the session stunned other senators when he confirmed his influence on his wife, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa’s decisions during her stint as the President of the Court of Appeal.

Justice Bulkachuwa served as the President of the Court of Appeal from 2014 to 2020.

She retired from the court after attaining the mandatory age of 70 years.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/895/2023, Bulkachuwa is demanding the judicial interpretation of Section 1 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017, which confers immunity on him from any civil or criminal litigation in respect of any utterance he makes on the floor of the Senate in his capacity as a serving Senator.

He also asked the court to restrain the ICPC and its agents from inviting, harassing and compelling him to appear before the commission pending the hearing and determination of suit.

The Attorney General of the Federation, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Department of State Services, the ICPC, and the Nigeria Police Force were listed as respondents in the suit.