An Ilorin Magistrate Court in Kwara State has ordered the arrest of the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abbas Mohammed, over his failure to appear in court in connection with an ongoing assault case involving two NSCDC officers.
The order was issued on Wednesday by Chief Magistrate Adebayo Dupe after the commandant reportedly failed to honour previous court directives requiring his appearance.
The court also directed the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Adekimi Ojo, to ensure the NSCDC boss is arrested and produced before the court at the next hearing date.
The case revolves around allegations that two NSCDC officers Ajayi Williams Gbolahan and Busari Babatunde assaulted a legal practitioner, Aladodo Abdullateef Nurudeen.
Counsel to the complainant, Professor D. A. Ariyo-Osu, informed the court that the NSCDC commandant ignored earlier orders directing him to personally appear and present the officers accused in the matter.
According to him, the failure to comply with the court’s directives amounted to disregard for the judicial process, prompting a request for the issuance of a warrant against the commandant.
However, counsel representing the accused officers, A. Imam, told the court that the NSCDC had already written to the office of the Kwara State Chief Judge seeking a transfer of the case to another court.
He claimed the command had lost confidence in the court currently handling the matter.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Chief Magistrate Dupe ordered that Abbas Mohammed be arrested and brought before the court on June 10, 2026.
The matter originated from a direct criminal complaint filed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) against the two NSCDC officers over the alleged assault on Barrister Nurudeen at the NSCDC office in Ilorin.
According to the complaint dated April 14, 2026, and signed by NBA secretary Dauda Jimoh, the lawyer had visited the NSCDC office on April 10 regarding a client’s matter when the alleged assault occurred.
The NBA alleged that the officers approached the lawyer while he stood near his vehicle and attacked him despite identifying himself as a legal practitioner.
The association further claimed he was dragged into a room within the NSCDC premises where he was allegedly assaulted again.
Describing the incident as an abuse of authority, the NBA said the lawyer suffered injuries and humiliation from the attack.
The association also alleged that the state commandant witnessed the incident but failed to intervene.
The complaint accused the officers of assault, intimidation, insult and conduct capable of causing harm under relevant sections of the Penal Code Law.
At a previous hearing, the prosecution, represented by Barrister J. S. Muhammed on behalf of Prof. Ariyo-Osu, told the court that the commandant had earlier failed to comply with an order directing him to produce the accused officers.
The prosecution subsequently requested arrest warrants for the officers and sought an order compelling the commandant’s appearance.
During that proceeding, NSCDC counsel M. M. Kolo apologised for the absence of the commandant and claimed one of the accused officers had disappeared after disciplinary action was initiated against him.
He also stated that the second officer could not be officially identified by the corps.
The court later granted the prosecution’s requests and adjourned the matter for further proceedings.
