Court convicts ex NDA Commandant, 2 others By; Ojo Shola, Kaduna

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Court convicts ex NDA Commandant, 2 others
By; Ojo Shola, Kaduna
Former Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, Major-General Mohammed Inuwa Idris and two others have been convicted by Kaduna High Court N0. 15, for using unlawfully armed personnel to wrest possession of court-attached properties.
The court presided over by Honourable Justice Nasiru Umar Sadiq dismissed preliminary objection filed by the former Commandant’s counsel, Ogbeni Biola Oyebanji, and found the three in contempt based on earlier summons on them to show cause why they should not be jailed.
The court however ordered the trio to be of good behaviour and to vacate possession of properties located at Nos. 11 and 36, Gongola Road, Barnawa Kaduna, forthwith.
New Nigerian recalled that the two benefitting widows of former civilian member staff of NDA who leased federal government properties had won their respective cases against NDA at Kaduna High Court on 10th April, 2014, but had waited for one year before court execution of judgment.
The three convicted contemnors allegedly employed self help on 21st May, this year to dispose court officials of custody of these houses after execution was levied.
Speaking to our Correspondent, Counsel for the widows, Barrister Lekan Oyerinde, while praising the court for redeeming its integrity, implored NDA to come to terms with a legitimate federal transaction of which it could not, as part of federal institution, reverse.
He opined that NDA should fit into the tenor of theses times by eschewing acts that flout the law, embarrass the military and tarnish the image of the country. Asking “how could NDA, a foremost military institution being positioned to impart obedience of civil authorities to budding officers, be in vanguard of thwarting this administration’s commitment to rule of law.
According to him, “NDA’s act of self help on 21 May, 2015 must be embarrassing coming just when the President himself warned against such acts at the passing out parade of 62 Regular course.”
He wondered why NDA would so vehemently disregard federal government transactions to lease federal government properties by Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) as empowered by the Federal Executive Council, employed scarce public funds to litigate against same and took the law into its hands after court’s verdict and consequential execution.
His strong conviction was that subsequent actions of NDA after the ruling would serve as litmus test for this regime as regard its respect for the rule of law and protection of ordinary Nigerians.

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