The Vice President Zone A, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mohammed Umar, and the Secretary, Abdulrasaq Bello, have pleaded with the Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna State for more time to appear as defendants in a criminal case.
The two officers, along with three other members of Kaduna NUJ – Asmau Halilu, Amos Ebute and Abdulwaheed Adubi – were dragged to court for allegedly breaking into the secretariat of Kaduna NUJ on December 16, 2021 and appointed some officials to run the affairs of the union.
The immediate past chairman of the union, Adamu Yusuf; Chairman, Electoral/Credentials Committee, Mordecai Ibrahim and the new chairman, Farida Abubakar, approached the court to seek redress over alleged criminal occupation of the union’s office by the 5th defendant, in the case number KMD/58DC/2021.
When the case came up for mention at the Magistrate Court before Aliyu Dogara, counsel to the defendants, Napoleon Idenala, told the court that the first and second defendants were served court summons within a short notice, adding that the NUJ officers reside outside the jurisdiction of the court, which made it difficult for them to appear in court.
Idenala, therefore, pleaded with the court to give them more time to enable them appear in court by next sitting.
“The first defendant, who is the Vice President of NUJ, is not in court because he lives in Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi State. The second defendant, who is the Secretary of Zone A NUJ, is not in court because he lives in Gusau, Zamfara State,” he explained.
The court fixed March 17, 2022 for hearing of the case brought before it.
