Justice Peter Kekemeke  orders arrest of PDP factional chairman, Turaki

A bench warrant has been issued  for the arrest of Kabiru Turaki, SAN, a factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday  made the order after Turaki—who served as Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs from 2013 to 2015—failed to appear in court to answer a one-count charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

In the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/647/25, police alleged that the factional PDP national chairman provided false information to them in a petition he lodged in 2022.

The charge, filed on November 15, 2025, reads: “That you, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, (SAN), ‘m’, No. 37 T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, on or about October 5, 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, gave false information to the Inspector-General of Police via a petition dated October 5, 2022.”

He was accused of committing an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law.

Police prosecutor Usman Rabiu had earlier prayed the court to activate Section 143 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and order Turaki’s arrest for repeatedly failing to appear.

The matter, initially pending before Justice K.N. Ogbonnaya, was later transferred to Justice Kekemeke following a petition that the defendant wrote to the Chief Judge of the High Court, expressing his lack of confidence in the objective handling of the case.

Justice Ogbonnaya had declined to issue the arrest warrant before handing off the case. However, at Thursday’s resumed proceedings, the court expressed frustration at the defendant’s continued absence.

Justice Kekemeke held that there was no justification for the defendant not to appear, having been duly served with the hearing notice. Consequently, the court ordered the arrest and production of the defendant for arraignment.