Justice Aisha Wodu Bawa of High Court Number Three, Suleja, has ordered the Police Area Commander, Suleja, ACP Sani Musa, to arrest 12 suspected killers of the village head of Lambata, Muhammad Abdulsafur.

Bawa also granted bail to 13 others already standing trial before the court in the sum of N1 million and asked each to bring a surety, who must be a civil servant on Level 12, and must deposit his first appointment letter and letter of last promotion with the court registrar.

According to Bawa, the persons granted bail were those standing trial on the 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 custody.

The prosecuting counsel, Halilu Umar, a Chief State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice, told Justice Bawa that five other suspects who participated in killing of the monarch were still going about freely in Lambata.

Ruling on the application moved by the prosecuting counsel, Bawa asked the registrar to immediately write the Area Commander, directing him to arrest the suspects and arraign them on the next adjourned date.

The 12 suspects were said to have participated in killing the late traditional ruler, sometimes in January 2023. Since then, they have been on the run, while the police have not arrested them.

Bawa further ordered them to be remanded in Suleja correctional custody until they perfect their bail conditions.

She adjourned the case till January 4, 2024 for commencement of trial.

Those on the run, according to the prosecuting counsel, are: Dauda Umar Sarki, Hamza Umar Sarki, Yusuf Chaska, Zubairu Dambaka, Abdulkareem Dantani, and Yusuf Sarki and others.