Court Orders IGP To Arrest & Produce Suspended Adamawa INEC REC Yunusa Ari For Trial

Justice Benjamin Manji Lawan of Adamawa State High Court on Wednesday issued the warrant of arrest against suspended INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.

The court ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest Barr. Ari and provide him in court with immediate effect to stand trial on a 3-count charge.

Justice Manji, issued the warrant of arrest in his ruling on the application dated and filed on the 16th April, 2024, by the Adamawa State Government through its counsels.

Earlier, while moving the application, counsel to the complainant, Chief L. D. Nzadon informed the court that the applicant was seeking the court’s warrant of arrest against the defendant.

Chief Nzadon, who referred the court to Section 20 Sub section (1j) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2018, urged the court to exercise its powers and direct the IGP to arrest the defendant wherever he is found.

He told the court that efforts to serve the defendant proved abortive, saying that the bailiff of the court was in Bauchi State since 2nd to 4th May, 2024 to serve him, but the defendant was nowhere to be found.

The judge had while ruling on the application said that this was the third time the case is being mentioned without the defendant in court.

He said the complainant’s counsels had told the court about their inability to serve Ari, and that it appears that he was evading service.