Contempt: Court sends Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, to prison

A Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State, has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, Chief of Army Staff for contempt.

A warrant of arrest was also issued against another Army officer, Olugbenga Olabanji, Commandant of the Training and Doctrine Command, Minna, over the same offence.

Persecondnews had reported on Tuesday that a Federal High Court in Abuja had sentenced Mr Usman Baba,  the Inspector-General of Police, to three months imprisonment for disobeying a court order.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, gave the ruling following a suit filed by Patrick Okoli, a former police officer who claims he was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian police force.

Similarly, an FCT High Court had in October ordered the remand of Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for contempt.

The order was later set aside.

The order was issued in respect of a suit marked NSHC/225/2019.

The suit is between Adamu Makama and 42 others versus Niger State Governor and seven others.

The motion for the issuance of the warrants was moved by Mr Mohammed Liman, Counsel to the plaintiffs/applicants.

Liman had urged the court to send the army chief and the commandant to the Correctional Centre for disobeying an order of the court made on October 12, 2022.

Ruling on the application, Justice Halima Abdulmalik, said: “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.”

The judge said they shall remain in the custody of the correctional centre until they purge themselves of the contempt.

The case has been adjourned to December 8.