Justice Joyce Abdulmalik put the arraignment on hold following the inability of one of the six defendants, Sheik Abdukadir Sani Zaria, to understand the English language
The Federal Government has stood down the arraignment of six persons accused of plotting to forcefully topple the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik put the arraignment on hold following the inability of one of the six defendants, Sheik Abdukadir Sani Zaria, to understand the English language.
When the case was called on Wednesday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sunusi Musa, announced that his client understands and speaks only Hausa and Arabic.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, is leading the prosecution.
In the proceedings that followed, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that an interpreter be provided for the defendant in the interest of justice.
The judge subsequently stood down the arraignment.
However, in the case, the judge ordered the remand of six defendants in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after they were arraigned on a 13-count charge relating to alleged terrorism.
At the commencement of proceedings, which began at about 1:46 p.m., the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, informed the court that the charge was ready and sought permission for it to be read to the defendants.
The hearing was briefly interrupted after the third defendant told the court that his lawyer was indisposed.
When proceedings resumed around 2:18 p.m., all six defendants entered their pleas, denying the allegations and pleading not guilty to the charges.
Following the arraignment, the prosecution requested that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody and urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing of the case.
The request was largely unopposed by defence counsel, although the lawyer to the first defendant signalled plans to file a bail application.
In his ruling, the trial judge granted the request for an expedited hearing, ordered that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody with access to their legal representatives.
He adjourned the case until April 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
