Court Orders Arrest of Kwara NSCDC Boss for Contempt

A significant legal development has unfolded in Kwara State, Nigeria, where a Magistrate Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abbas Mohammed. This drastic measure stems from the commandant's alleged contempt of court, specifically his failure to appear before the court or produce two NSCDC officers implicated in the assault of a legal practitioner, Barrister Aladodo Abdullateef Nurudeen.

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The commandant’s actions are contemptuous and disrespectful, having ignored both the order to produce the defendants and the order directing him to appear before this honourable court.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Adebayo Dupe, acted upon an application by the complainant's counsel, Prof. D.A. Ariyo-Osu, who argued that the commandant's actions were both contemptuous and disrespectful. The counsel emphasized that ignoring court orders, both for personal appearance and for the production of the accused officers, undermined the integrity of the judicial process.

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We have petitioned the office of the Honourable Chief Judge for reassignment of the matter because the command has lost confidence in the court.

Adding a layer of complexity, the defense counsel for the NSCDC officers, A. Imam, informed the court that the command had petitioned the Kwara State Chief Judge for a reassignment of the case. This request, according to Imam, was based on a 'loss of confidence in the court handling the case.' This move by the NSCDC command suggests a potential attempt to circumvent the current judicial proceedings or perhaps a strategic maneuver in response to the mounting pressure.

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While standing under a tree near his vehicle, the Defendants, officers of the NSCDC, confronted and physically assaulted him despite our member identifying himself as a legal practitioner.

The case itself originated from a direct criminal complaint filed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, detailing the alleged assault of Barrister Nurudeen on April 10, 2026, while he was at the NSCDC office on professional duty. The NBA's complaint paints a grim picture of the lawyer being confronted, physically assaulted, and further brutalized within the NSCDC premises despite identifying himself as a legal practitioner. The court's order for the commandant's arrest, scheduled for June 10, 2026, underscores the seriousness with which the judiciary is treating this matter and the imperative to uphold the rule of law, even when it involves high-ranking security officials.

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The Defendants, along with other officers, dragged our member into a room where he was further brutalized and seriously assaulted.