The suspected killers of the late Village Head of Lammbata, Alhaji Muhammad Abdulsafur, last Monday at Suleja High Court number three, threatened to deal with journalists who were in court to report the resumed trial of the case.
The suspects, who were granted bail by the presiding high court judge, Justice Aisha Bawa Wodu, vowed to deal with journalists should they continue to report their appearances in court.
The suspects, 15 in number, manhandled the NTA and NSTV cameramen and some journalists who were on the court premises recording the event; the suspects forcefully pounced on the harmless journalists who were carrying out their lawful duty.
They even threatened to deal with the newsmen should they continue to record and report the court proceedings against them.
It took the intervention of the court registrar and their counsel to bring the ugly situation under control, with a warning from the suspects that henceforth, journalists should stop reporting the court proceedings. "If not, we are ready to deal with any journalists that dare to write anything about us," they boasted.
However, there was confusion during the resumed hearing on Monday when one of the suspects in detention awaiting trial at the Minna Correctional Custody was granted bail by Minna High Court number six while he was to be produced in court to join other suspects for his trial.
He was, however, not produced from the Minna Correctional Custody, as he was said to have been granted bail by a Minna High Court number six.
The said suspect was remanded along with other suspects standing trial at Minna Senior Magistrate Court number seven on the same charges.
A prosecuting state counsel in the office of the Attorney General in Niger State, Barrister Halidu Umar, told the court that he received information that he was granted bail on the ground that the name on the charge sheet was not his name, which was the ground that a lawyer approached the court for his bail and was granted.
At this point, Justice Aisha Bawa Wodu then directed the registrar of Minna High Court number six to reach out to his surety to produce the suspect in Suleja High Court to face his trial on the next adjourned date.
She then adjourned the case to March 14, 2024, for hearing, while the arrested suspect, on the order of Justice Aisha Bawa, was remanded in correctional custody.