Court Orders Arrest Of COAS For Contempt

A High Court Sitting in Minna, the Niger State Capital, has issued a warrant of arrest on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Faruk Yahaya for contempt.

Also to be arrested include Commandant Training and Doctrine Command, Minna, Major General Olugbenga Olabanji for a similar offense.

The presiding judge, Justice Halima Abdulmalik said the order followed upon hearing on motion on notice brought before the court in pursuant of order forty two rule ten of the Niger State High Court Civil procedure 2018.

Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the order is commuting Yahaya and Olabanji to be kept in Minna correctional custody for contentions of order of this court on 12 October, 2022.

According to her, the two suspects are to remain in custody until they purge themselves of the contempt.

Justice Abdulmalik then adjourned the case to December 8 for continuation.

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In November, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja sentenced the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba to three months in prison for disobeying a court order.

Delivering ruling, Justice Olajuwon issued the order following a suit filed by a former police officer, Patrick Okoli who claimed he was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigeria Police Force.

Also in November, Justice Chizoba Oji of a High Court Abuja convicted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa for contempt and ordered that he should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

The judge held that Bawa was in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover and the sum of N40 million.

However, Justice Oji in a subsequent ruling set aside the conviction of Bawa after hearing an application brought by the EFCC chairman.