SEN. CLIFF SUES ELECTORATE FOR ACCUSING HIM OF ACQUIRING WEAPONS

A serving Senator Adamawa Northern Senatorial District, Ishaku Abbo Cliff, on Thursday, dragged his electorate, Bala Abdullahi (aka Bala Maigoro) to Yola Chief Magistrate Court 4 for allegedly accusing him of acquiring weapons.

Sen. Cliff, in a direct criminal complaint pursuant to section 111(a) of the state Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2018, alleged that Bala Maigoro, had defamed his character by disseminating a falsehood information about him to the general public.

The Senator in case number CMC4/133/2021, told the court that the defendant who is a politician and resident of Arahan Kunu ward, Mubi South Local Government Area, authored an audio circulating in Northern Senatorial District and beyond that he (Ishaku Abbo Cliff) is planning against Muslim faithful towards the forthcoming 2023,  general election.

According to him, Bala Maigoro, in a audio which has gone viral and in his possession, had told who cares to listen that he and his associates had acquired a large caches of weapons to be used against Muslims come 2023, in order to install a Christian Governor in the state.

The Senator in court documents obtained by NEWS PLATFORM,  alleged that the action of the defendant has defamed his character as a vibrant politician who has a large followership/ supporters from both faith, saying it is a calculated attempt to dent his political ambition by instigating clash between Muslims and Christians in his Senatorial District.

He suggested that the act of the defendant is tantamount to the offences of inciting contempt of religion and defamation of character contrary to sections 181 and 378 of the State Penal Code Law, 2018,  and urged the court to punish Bala Maigoro, accordingly.

When the case came up for mention, Counsel to the Senator, Salihu Adamu, apoligised to the Honourable Court for the inability of his client to appear in court, saying that his absence is as result of an emergency national assignment.

Adamu, urged the court to invoke section 352 (1) of the State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2018, and adjourn the matter to another day for mention.

But counsel to defendant, Idris Shua'aibu, who appeared along side A. A. Imam, and A. A. Adams, vehemently objected the application for the adjournment of the case.

Idris, relied on the same section 352 and 353 of the Criminal Law, where he prayed the court to strike out the case and discharge their client since the complainant himself is not court.

In its bench ruling, the court presided by Chief Magistrate Dimas Elishama, overuled the objection raised by the counsel to the defendant and adjourned the case to the 13th October, 2021, for hearing on the preliminary objection filed by the defendant's counsels and for mention.

Bala Maigoro, through his counsels had filed notice of preliminary objection dated the 20th September, 2021, and served on the Senator through his counsel, Salihu Adamu, on the 23rd September,  2021, where is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.