Court orders IG, SSS to confisticate Obasanjo'snew book

An High Court in Abuja today Wednesday
December 10th ordered the Inspector General
of Police, Director-General of State Security
Services and Controller General of Nigeria
Customs Services to confiscate Obasanjo`s
book, 'My Watch' from public vendors, NAN
reports.
Justice Valentine Ashi, gave the order after
former President Olusegun Obasanjo allegedly
went ahead to publish his book titled “ My
Watch’’ in spite of a court order made on
Dec. 5, restraining him from making the
publication.
"I am of the view that the defendant having
gone ahead to publish the book, he should
therefore show cause within 21 days of the
order served on him on why he should not be
punished for contempt of court.
"The Inspector-General of Police, the
Director-General of State Security Services
and the Controller General of Nigeria
Customs Services are hereby directed to
recover the book from sales vendors,” the
Judge ordered.
He directed that the book should be kept with
the registrar of the court pending the
determination of the suit.
Ashi also restrained the defendant from
further printing, publishing or circulating the
book “ My Watch’’ which, he said “touches on
the subject matter of the suit before the
court.’’
Earlier, counsel to Obasanjo, Mr Realwan
Okpanachi, told the court that the book was
published before the order was granted.
Okpanachi argued that the book had been in
circulation since November and the order was
made on Dec. 5.
The Counsel to Buruji Kashamu, Mr Alex
Izinyo, SAN, submitted that the defendant`s
application was a calculated attempt to
deceive the court.
Izinyo argued that the defendant admitted in
his motion papers that the book was
published on Nov. 10 and in another
paragraph, it was also stated that the book
was published on Nov. 2.
“My lord, the burden of proof lay with the
defendant to show the court three volumes of
the book,’’ he said.
Ashi adjourned to Jan. 13 and 14, 2015, for
hearing of the substantive case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that
the plaintiff Mr Buruji Kashamu, had earlier
dragged former President Olusegun Obasanjo
before the court for libel.
NAN further recalls that Kashamu alleged that
the former addressed him as ex-convict in the
letter he wrote to President Goodluck
Jonathan titled, “Before it is too late’’.
Source: NAN