Justice Amina Abdulmalik ruled that Yahaya should be kept in Minna correctional custody for contentions of the order of the court on October 12, 2022.
A Federal High Court sitting in Minna, the Niger State Capital, has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of the Chief of Army Staff, General Faruk Yahaya, for contempt of court.
The order was issued by Justice Halima Abdulmalik, who said the order followed a notice brought before the court pursuant to Order 42, Rule 10 of the Niger State High Court Civil Procedure 2018.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that Yahaya should be kept in Minna correctional custody for contentions of the order of the court on October 12, 2022.
According to the Judge, the Army chief will remain in custody till he has been “purged” of the contempt.
The Punch reports that Justice Abdulmalik also issued an order that the Commandant Training and Doctrine Command, Minna, Major General Olugbenga Olabanji, should be arrested and imprisoned for a similar offence.
The Judge thereafter adjourned the case to December 8 for continuation.
This comes some hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a similar order on Tuesday, sentencing the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to three months in prison for contempt of court.
The court verdict ordering that the police boss should be jailed followed a suit that was filed by a dismissed police officer, Patrick Okoli, that he was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigeria Police Force in 1993.
In its ruling, the court also ordered the payment of N10 million to the applicant, being special and general damages for the unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of his (Patrick’s) rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.
