A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the arrest of former minister, Kabiru Turaki, following his failure to appear before the court to face a criminal charge.
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, issued a bench warrant on Thursday after the defendant was absent during proceedings without any stated justification.
Turaki is being prosecuted by the Nigeria Police Force on a one-count charge alleging that he supplied false information to law enforcement authorities. The allegation stems from a petition dated October 5, 2022, which was reportedly addressed to the Inspector-General of Police.
The charge, filed on November 15, 2025, and marked FCT/HC/CR/647/25, states that the offence is punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law.
During the hearing, police prosecutor, Usman Rabiu, urged the court to invoke Section 143 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act to compel Turaki’s appearance, noting that he had repeatedly failed to attend court sessions.
The matter was originally assigned to Justice K.N. Ogbonnaya, who declined to issue an arrest warrant at the time. However, the case was later reassigned to Justice Kekemeke after Turaki petitioned the Chief Judge, raising concerns about how the case was being handled.
At the resumed sitting, Justice Kekemeke held that there was no valid excuse for the defendant’s absence, especially as he had been duly served with a hearing notice. Consequently, the court ordered that Turaki be arrested and produced for arraignment.
The case is believed to be connected to the lingering leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where rival factions continue to contest control of party structures.
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