A High Court in Adamawa State has issued a warrant of arrest against the suspended State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hudu Yunusa Ari.
While issuing the warrant on Wednesday, Justice Benjamin Manji Lawan ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to arrest and produce the embattled REC in court with immediate effect to stand trial on three counts.
The arrest warrant followed an application by the Adamawa State Government through its counsel, dated and filed on April 16, 2024.
Yunusa Ari is to stand trial for usurping the powers of a returning officer to declare the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Aishatu Ahmed Binani, winner before the collation of results for the election was completed.
Ari allegedly employed tactics to evade arraignment. In one of those sittin
While moving the application for a warrant of arrest on Wednesday, counsel for the complainant, Leonard Nzadon, informed the court that the application was seeking the court’s leave to compel the IGP to produce Yunusa Ari in court.
Nzadon, who referred the court to section 20 sub-section (1j) of the Adamawa State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2018, urged the court to exercise its powers and direct the IGP to arrest the defendant wherever he would be found.
He informed the court that efforts to serve the defendant had failed, adding that the bailiff of the court was in Bauchi State from May 2 to 4, 2024 to serve him, but the defendant was nowhere to be found.
While ruling on the application, the judge said it was the third time the case was mentioned without the defendant appearing in court. He said the complainant’s counsel had told the court about their inability to serve him, and that it appeared that Yunusa Ari was evading service.