The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on April 24, 2024 arraigned four suspects before Justice A. A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna.
The suspects were docked for alleged obstruction of lawful duty and assaulting officers of the anti-graft agency.
The suspects are Rukayya Ahmed Mustapha, Sadiya Usman Mohammed, Ameera Uthman and Nafisat Usman.
They were arraigned on one count separate charges bordering on obstruction of lawful duty.
The one-count charge against Sadiya Usman Mohammed reads: “That you, Sadiya Usman Mohammed on or about the 15th April, 2024 at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of the Kaduna State High Court willfully obstruct officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while carrying out an official assignment (effecting a lawful arrest at No. 13 Jafar Organizer Street, Rigachukun, Kaduna) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 38(2)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 38(2)(b) of the same Act.”
All the four suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, K.S. Ogunlade, to pray for a trial date to bring witnesses to court.
Ogunlade also sought the remand of the defendants in Kaduna Correctional Centre.
Justice Bello, after listening to all counsels, remanded three of the suspects at the Kaduna Correctional Centre, while Sadiya Usman Mohammed, who is a nursing mother, was remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
He adjourned the case to May 2, 2024 for hearing of their bail applications.
The suspects were arrested for obstructing officers of the Kaduna Command of the EFCC while making efforts to arrest one Hadiza Usman, who had jumped bail several times and avoided being served her charges for arraignment.
Also Read:
- Ikpeazu left N3.49b, others for Otti — Ex-Commissioner
- Remembering police woman ‘fired’ for insisting on trying judge for traffic violation @ 94
- Akpabio seeks UK’s collaboration in deepening Nigeria’s democracy
- Ogun: Police launch CRU, TIU for improved service
- Nigeria gains additional territory five times size of Lagos
While trying to effect the arrest, the four suspects openly attacked operatives of the Commission and assaulted three of them, dragging and pulling their uniforms and biting another operative close to his collarbone and another on his left hand.
A statement by the commission said: “Despite the confrontation by the suspects, the officers maintained discipline and professionalism, subdued and arrested the suspects, with no violence at all.”