Court Orders Arrest of PDP Factional Chairman Turaki

On Thursday, a high court in the Federal Capital Territory ordered the arrest of Turaki, the factional chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), after he failed to appear in court for a case brought against him by the Inspector General of Police. Justice U.P.

Kekemek presided over the trial and noted that there was no justification for Turaki's absence. The charges against him relate to allegations of providing false information to the police, with the offenses linked to events from October 2022.

Turaki was scheduled to be arraigned on January 28, but the proceedings were stalled due to his absence. The prosecutor requested a bench warrant for Turaki's arrest, while the defense counsel claimed that Turaki had communicated his absence through a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, seeking a transfer of the case.

The trial judge expressed skepticism about the defense's confidence in the court and stated that the Chief Judge could not halt criminal proceedings unless directed to do so. The case has been adjourned to March 5.