On Wednesday, the High Court in Abuja set aside the arrest warrant previously issued against Kabiru Turaki, the factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The order, granted on March 26, had directed Turaki’s arrest after he failed to appear for arraignment on a pending criminal charge.
Justice Peter Kekemeke vacated the warrant following Turaki’s voluntary appearance in court. His lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), made an oral application requesting the withdrawal of the order. Uche explained that his absence at the last sitting was due to travel abroad and apologized both for himself and his client. He stressed that Turaki, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, holds the court in high regard and did not intend to disregard its authority.
To demonstrate good faith, Uche withdrew a motion earlier filed by Turaki seeking a stay of execution of the arrest warrant. He also confirmed that Turaki was prepared to enter a plea to the charge against him.
Prosecuting counsel Usman Rabiu did not oppose the application. He noted that the warrant’s purpose was to compel Turaki’s attendance, which had now been achieved. Rabiu stated that since the defendant was present, the prosecution had no objection to proceeding with arraignment.
Justice Kekemeke acknowledged Turaki’s appearance before the warrant could be enforced. He accepted the apology offered by counsel, though he remarked that the explanation for Turaki’s absence remained unclear. Nonetheless, the judge exercised discretion to pardon the defendant and formally vacated the arrest order.
The court also struck out Turaki’s motion for a stay of execution after Uche withdrew it without objection from the prosecution. However, Justice Kekemeke declined to proceed with arraignment immediately. He explained that the day’s proceedings had been fixed for hearing the withdrawn motion, not for taking Turaki’s plea.
The matter was adjourned until April 22 for Turaki’s arraignment on a one-count charge filed by the Inspector General of Police. The charge, marked CR/647/2026, accuses Turaki of providing false information to the police.
The arrest warrant had been issued on March 26 when Turaki failed to attend court for arraignment. His absence prompted the judge to order his arrest to ensure compliance. With his appearance now secured, the court emphasized that the objective of the warrant had been met and that proceedings would continue on the scheduled date.
This development underscores the court’s insistence on accountability while balancing discretion with fairness. By vacating the warrant, Justice Kekemeke signaled that voluntary compliance carries weight in judicial proceedings. The adjournment sets the stage for Turaki’s formal arraignment later this month, where the charge against him will be heard.
