Attack On Journalist: Court Issues Warrant Of Arrest Against Kwara Commissioner

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

An Ilorin Magistrate’s court has issued an order of warrant of arrest against the Kwara state Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Mr Tunde Agboola, for failure to appear before the court on allegations of causing bodily harm, and attempted culpable homicide on a broadcast journalist in the state.

It will be 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 March 28, 2019 reportedly attacked and beaten to stupor by suspected hoodlums over a land dispute at Irewolede housing estate along New Yidi road, llorin .

Speaking with newsmen in Ilorin after the 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 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 but he refused service. So, court saw this as an affront on the court and ordered his arrest before the adjourned date”, he said.