Court orders arrest of NUJ president, national secretary, others

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, national secretary, Leman Shuaib and the Vice president Zone D, Wilson Bako have been declared by the National Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi for arrest on Thursday over contempt of court.

The Court also ordered the Commissioner of Police to arrest of all those that emerged as winners of the Benue council election conducted on July 3, 2021 as well as the chairman of the credentials committee, Chris Apuu and Secretary, James Shim of the said election for violating the constitutional rights of a qualifying candidate in the Union’s election.

The rulling was bassed on the suit filed by a member of the NUJ, Orduen Dura of the State Information chapel before the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division seeking interpretation whether the national secretariat of the union has right to violate its constitution by qualifying candidates that were disqualified by their credentials after a court of competent jurisdiction court had handed an injunction restraining the national secretariat of the NUJ from conducting the election until the determination of the matter.

Presiding Judge, Justice I.J. Essien, who handed the order in the court, also described, Bemdoo Ugber, who purportedly won the said election as ‘illegal’ chairman when he (Ugber) through his lawyer had sought to be joined in the case as a defendant.

Essien ordered Ugber and his executive to stop parading themselves as leaders of the union in the state and to handover any property of the union in his position to the Interim Caretaker Committee led by Steven Ijoh.

Earlier, Counsel to the Claimant (Orduen Dura), R.I. Wombo told the court that all the respondents except the then Acting chairman of the council, Kajo Martins be exempted from committal to prison as the case has been adjourned to July 28.

Daily Trust