Justice Aisha Wodu Bawa, of High Court Number Three Suleja, has ordered the Area Commander Suleja, ACP Sani Musa, to effect the arrest of 12 suspected killers of the village head of Lambata, Alhaji Muhammad Abdulsafur.
The 12 suspects were said to have fully participated in the killing of the late traditional ruler, sometimes in January 2023, and since then they have been on the run, and the police could not effect their arrest.
The prosecuting counsel, Halilu Umar, a Chief State Counsel in the State Ministry of Justice, told Justice Aisha Bawa Wodu that five other suspects who participated in the killing of the monarch were still going about freely in Lambata without police arresting them for prosecution under Section 221 of the penal code.
Those on the run, according to the prosecuting counsel, were Dauda Umar Sarki, Hamza Umar Sarki, Yusuf Chaska, Zubairu Dambaka, Abdulkareem Dantani, and Yusuf Sarki.
Others included Ibrahim Umar, Zakari Mohammed, Mohammed Ma'aji, Kabir Mohammed, Isyaku Adamu, and Ibrahim Umar.
He asked the court to order the police area commander of Suleja, ACP Sani Musa, to go after them and ensure that they were arrested and brought to court for prosecution, insisting that they were the principal suspects in the killing of the village head of Lambata.
While ruling on the application moved by the prosecuting counsel, Justice Aisha Bawa Wodu asked the registrar to immediately write to the area commander of Suleja, directing him to arrest the fleeing suspects and arraign them on the next adjourned date.
She, however, granted bail to the 13 others already standing trial before the court in the sum of one million naira, and each of them will bring a surety who must be a civil servant of level 12, and the surety must deposit his first appointment letter and letter of last promotion with the court registrar.
Equally, she agreed that the sureties must reside within the court's jurisdiction with very valid residential documents and a recent passport to be deposited in the court registry.
She further ordered them to be remanded in Suleja Correctional Custody until they perfected their bail conditions.
According to Justice Bawa Wodu, those granted bail were those standing trial on five counts of mischief, causing grievous hurt, and disturbance of public peace, while those charged with culpable homicide punishable under Section 221 of the penal code would remain in correctional custody.
She then adjourned the case to January 4, 2024 for the commencement of a full trial of the case.
Plans are underway to construct the first-ever Sports Arena in the State worth 100 million dollars.
This was disclosed by governor Mohammed Umaru Bago when he received a delegation led by the President, Federation of Public Service Games, Mr Aluko Amaebi who paid him a visit at his Minna residence.
Governor Bago said the sports arena which was to be cited between Abuja and Suleja was part of his commitment to the development of sports by providing all requirements needed to boost the sector.
The governor who unveiled the sporting kits for the 42nd Federal Civil Service Games to be hosted by Niger State, described sports as an important element in the well-being of people.
He expressed delight that civil servants who were referred to as the engine room of the nation's economy have ventured into sports and promised to support them.
The President, Federation of Public Service Games, Mr Aluko Amaebi disclosed that the games to be hosted by Niger State comprises the entire Federal Public Service inclusive of all federal establishments in the 36 states.
He commended the efforts of the governor towards sports development and stated that the role he played during his time in the national assembly speaks volumes.
No fewer than 10,000 delegates from the Federal, State and Local Government Civil Service will be participating in different sports from the 4th to 14th of December 2023 in Minna.
