A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the arrest of Kabiru Turaki, a factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after he failed to appear in court.
Justice U.P. Kekemeke issued the bench warrant following Turaki’s absence at a scheduled hearing in a case brought against him by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). The judge ruled that there was no valid reason for his failure to attend.
The case centres on a one-count charge accusing Turaki of providing false information to the police in a petition dated October 2022. The alleged offence is said to violate Section 140 of the Penal Code Law.
During the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Usman Rabiu, informed the court that the matter was set for Turaki to take his plea but noted that he did not appear despite being properly served with the charge and hearing notice. He then asked the court to issue a bench warrant to compel his appearance, citing relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
However, Turaki’s lawyer, Abdulaziz Ibrahim (SAN), opposed the request. He argued that a pending motion seeking to dismiss the charge should first be heard and requested more time to file necessary documents, insisting that his client’s presence was not required at that stage.
In his ruling, Justice Kekemeke dismissed the defence’s argument, stating that the defendant’s absence was unjustified since there was no dispute that he had been duly served. The court held that under the law, a defendant who is aware of a charge but fails to appear without explanation can be compelled through a bench warrant.
The judge also described the motion to quash the charge as premature, noting that such an application can only be considered after the defendant has entered a plea.
The case was adjourned until April 22, 2026, for arraignment. Turaki is accused of submitting a petition on October 5, 2022, containing false claims against one Saidi Mohammed Mainasara, allegedly with the intention of misleading the police and causing harm.
