By Ado Oyeyemi
An Ilorin Magistrate Court in Kwara State has ordered the arrest of the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abbas Mohammed, for allegedly failing to obey court directives in an ongoing assault case involving two NSCDC officers.
Chief Magistrate Adebayo Dupe issued the order on Wednesday, directing the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, to ensure the commandant is arrested and produced before the court at the next sitting.
The order followed an application by counsel to Barrister Aladodo Abdullateef Nurudeen, who was allegedly assaulted by two NSCDC officers identified as Ajayi Williams Gbolahan and Busari Babatunde.
Counsel for the complainant, Prof. D.A. Ariyo-Osu, told the court that the NSCDC commandant had repeatedly failed to comply with earlier orders mandating him to produce the officers and appear personally before the court.
According to Ariyo-Osu, the commandant’s refusal to obey the court amounted to contempt and disregard for lawful directives.
He urged the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of the NSCDC boss over what he described as persistent disobedience to court orders.
However, counsel representing the NSCDC officers, A. Imam, informed the court that the command had petitioned the office of the Kwara State Chief Judge for the reassignment of the case.
Imam said the request was based on the command’s alleged loss of confidence in the court handling the matter.
“We have petitioned the office of the Honourable Chief Judge for reassignment of the matter because the command has lost confidence in the court,” he said.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Dupe ordered the police commissioner to arrest and produce the NSCDC commandant before the court on June 10, 2026.
The case arose from a direct criminal complaint filed by the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin Branch, against the two NSCDC officers over the alleged assault of Barrister Nurudeen at the NSCDC office in Ilorin.
According to the complaint dated April 14, 2026, and signed by the NBA secretary, Dauda Jimoh, the incident occurred on April 10 when the lawyer visited the NSCDC office in his professional capacity to represent a client.
The NBA alleged that while the lawyer stood near his vehicle within the premises, the officers confronted and physically assaulted him despite identifying himself as a legal practitioner.
The association further claimed that the lawyer was dragged into a room by the officers and subjected to further assault, leaving him injured and humiliated.
Describing the incident as an abuse of power, the NBA also alleged that the state commandant witnessed the incident but failed to intervene.
The complaint stated that the actions of the officers amounted to assault, intimidation, insult and conduct contrary to relevant provisions of the Penal Code Law.
At an earlier hearing, the prosecution, represented by Barrister J.S. Muhammed on behalf of Prof. Ariyo-Osu, accused the commandant of ignoring an earlier order directing him to produce the accused officers before the court.
The prosecution subsequently sought a warrant for the arrest of the officers and requested that the commandant be compelled to appear in court.
Responding at the time, counsel for the NSCDC, M.M. Kolo, apologised for the absence of the commandant, explaining that one of the accused officers had allegedly absconded after disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him.
Kolo also told the court that the second officer could not be officially identified by the corps.
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The court thereafter granted the prosecution’s applications and adjourned the matter for further proceedings.
