…NBA condemns invasion, threatens boycott of courts
Operatives of Yobe State Police Command have reportedly invaded the Chief Magistrate Court in Potiskum, taking away two of their colleagues who are facing charges of criminal conspiracy and robbery.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that on October 29, armed policemen from Area Command Office Potiskum disrupted lawful activities of the court, forcing staff, lawyers and litigants to scamper for their safety.
It was also gathered that the armed policemen forcefully made away with the two contemnors who were earlier convicted by Chief Magistrate Hadiza Gimba.
Earlier, the police command had refused to produce the suspected officers for prosecution, despite multiple adjournments and court orders.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Registrar of High Court of Justice in Damaturu, the Chief Magistrate Court accused the police of refusing to receive summons served on them.
But the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Dungus Abdulkarim, told newsmen that the case was still under investigation.
According to Mr Abdulkarim, the command is aware of the case and is yet to conclude investigations.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has condemned the invasion, threatening to boycott all the courts in the state.
The body of lawyers, in its resolution after an emergency meeting, demanded the immediate removal, investigation and prosecution of the Area Commander of Potiskum zone and all the police men involved in the armed raid.
“We demand that the police shall obey the court order of Chief Magistrate Court 1 Potiskum in case No. YBS/PT/CMC/32DC/2024 between Abubakar Umar Mayinta vs (1) Abdullahi Aji Bulama (2) Mr. Kabir (ATO) by returning the convicts to the Medium Correctional Centre Potiskum as ordered by the court.
“We demand that the police shall stop prosecuting of accused persons in all the Magistrates Courts in Yobe State as this is the constitutional responsibility of the Hon. Attorney General of Yobe State under section 211 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“We demand that NBA Damaturu branch shall direct all its members to boycotts all the courts of Yobe State from Monday 4/11/2024 pending when our demands are met.,” the resolution signed by the NBA chairman, Y. Muhammad, read.
The NBA chapter, therefore, resolved to begin a two day boycott of all courts in the state from Wednesday, November 6 to Thursday, November to serve as a warning, “pending the 14 day ultimatum to be given to the commissioner of Police Yobe State to take action on this matter”.
