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Court Order The Arrest Of Maigida's Commissioner Over The Attack On Journalist

Deacon Tunde Agboola


An Ilorin magistrate court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of Deacon Tunde Agboola a serving commissioner of Commerce and Cooperative in Kwara State, for his failure to appear before the court on allegations of causing bodily harm, and attempted culpable homicide on a journalist in the state.

It would recalled that a broadcast journalist and former chairman of the Radio Kwara chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Abdullahi Adisa-Akodudu was on Thursday, March 28, 2019 reportedly attacked and beaten to a state of coma by suspected hoodlums over a land dispute in llorin metropolis.

The incident, it was gathered, occurred at the lrewolede Housing Estate, along Yidi road in llorin when the suspected hoodlums were demolishing two structures on the disputed land.

Adisa-Akodudu, who was the chairman of House Owners Association of the estate for over 13 years and said to be the rightful owner of the land, was reportedly attacked and beaten to a state of coma immediately the suspected hoodlums sighted him.

The journalist was later found in a pool of his own blood after sustaining several injuries on his head and leg.

Akodudu on hospital bed

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday after court sitting, counsel to the plaintiff, Yahaya Abdulrasheed Alajo, said that it was the first time that the case came up in court for mentioning.

"The case was actually mentioned. We expected the accused persons to take their pleas today, but the first defendant, who is the commissioner did not show up in court. For that reason, the court could not go ahead with the case. Attempts were made to serve him court notice, but he was evading service of the summon. So, the court ordered that the warrant of arrest and he be arrested to make him appear in court on adjourned date on June 18, 2019.

"The incident is that complainant here, adisa Akodudu complained before the court that all defendants brought before the court harassed him, beat him and caused bodily injury on him and that attempts were made on his life, an offence under the law. The accused were brought before the court on allegations of conspiracy, causing bodily injury and making attempts on his life, which is culpable homicide punishable with death.

"The matter is about a fight over a piece of land, which had been earlier assigned to our client. The people thought because they are in government and they think they can do and undo. They brought thugs, including the commissioner. Our client believed that it's in the court that he can get justice, and that's why he was in court.

"First defendant, who is the commissioner, was not in court today, all other four defendants, who are staff of Housing Corporation. He was not in court despite the fact that he was aware of the case. On several occasions, the court orderly made attempts to serve him hut he refused service. So, court saw this as an affront on the court and ordered his arrest before the adjourned date", he said.


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