From Godwin Tsa, Abuja.
The planned arraignment of a traditional ruler in Oyo State, Oba Solomon Akinola, by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on terrorism charges was on Thursday stalled at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
The pre-trial process was stalled following an objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to conduct the trial.
Though Oba Akinola was not present in the court to take his plea, three of his high chiefs, Sunday Aderinto, 87, Samson Ogunmola, 76, and Timothy Adewale Aderinto, 71, were brought to court under heavy police protection.
Shortly after the three chiefs were called to the dock, their counsel, Mr Jimoh Abdulsalam, raised an objection to the taking of their plea to the offences alleged to have been committed between May 10 and 21 last year.
The counsel hinged his objection on the validity of the charges, insisting that the chiefs were victims of a land dispute between Oko and Aagba communities, near Ogbomoso, in Surulere Local Goverment Area of Oyo State.
Abdulsalam,told the court that it was only the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) that would handle terrorism charges and expressed displeasure that police coloured a communal land dispute as terrorism act adding that the chiefs cannot take plea on terrorism charges.
The lawyer also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit adding that the chiefs who have spent 37 days in police detention were not properly before the court.
The problem was compounded by the inability of the prosecution to counter the oral objection of the defendants with any authority of the law.
Following the vehement objection to the arraignment on jurisdiction, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, directed the defense counsel to put his objection in writing and serve same on the prosecution. Other chiefs billed for arraignment but said to be at large are Jimoh Asimiyu, Segun Gbadebo, Oluwole Ogundeji, Akintaro Mathew Piamo, Rafiu Ganiyu, Adejare Adeleru and Zacheus Adeleru.
IGP filed the terrorism charges against them through an officer in the legal department of the Force Headquarters, Mr Orji Kalu.
The criminal charges among others, indicated that the defendants while armed with dangerous weapons comprising cutlasses and knives allegedly conspired and invaded Aagba Community in Oyo State and kidnapped three people in addition to inflicting various degrees of injuries on their victims.
