Court orders arrest, detention of Army Chief over contempt

A High Court in Minna, Niger State, has issued a warrant of arrest for the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Farouk Yahaya for contempt of court.

The development is coming barely 48 hours after an Abuja Federal High Court sentenced the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba to three months in prison for contempt.

Justice Halima Abdulmalik of the Minna High Court also ordered the arrest of the Commandant Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna, Stevenson Olugbenga Olabanji, a major general.

The judge ordered that the duo remain incarcerated until they purge themselves of contempt.

The judge ordered the arrest of the top army officers at the resumed hearing of a case between Adamu Makama and 42 others versus the Executive Governor of Niger State and seven others in a suit numbered NSHC/225/2019.

The order was sequel to a motion on notice brought under Order 42, Rule 10 of the Niger State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2018, moved by counsel to the plaintiffs Mohammed Liman.

Liman had prayed the judge to commit the Chief of Army Staff and the Commandant Training and Doctrine Command into Correctional custody for flouting an order made by the court on October 12, 2020.

Read also: Court sentences IGP to three months in prison for contempt

Justice Abdulmalik declared: “An order is made committing the Nigerian Army Chief of Staff General Farouk Yahaya, and the Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna, i.e. 6th &7th respondents into the custody of the Correctional Centre for contempt of the order of this honourable court made on the 12/10/2022.”

In the last month, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba and now the Chief Of Army Staff Yahaya have all been sent to prison by different courts for contempt.