Court Orders Arrest of Abuja Lawyer Victor Giwa and Police Inspector

Court Orders Arrest of Abuja Lawyer Victor Giwa and Police InspectorEdith Erhunmuuse.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Abuja lawyer, Victor Giwa, and a police officer, Inspector Edith Erhunmuuse of the FCT Command over their repeated failure to appear for arraignment in an alleged ₦300 million illegal eviction case.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, 24 April 2026, Justice Samira Bature held that the persistent absence of the 2nd and 3rd defendants constituted deliberate delay tactics and a clear disregard for the court.

At the resumed hearing, the Federal Government, through prosecuting counsel Aderonke Imana, informed the court that the matter, filed in January 2023, had suffered prolonged delays due to the defendants’ consistent absence, preventing their arraignment.

The prosecution urged the court to invoke Sections 113 and 114 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to compel their appearance.

Counsel to the 2nd defendant opposed the application, citing illness and presenting a medical report. He also drew attention to pending applications before the court.

However, the prosecution maintained that arraignment is fundamental in criminal proceedings and that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain any application until the defendants are formally arraigned.

In her ruling, Justice Bature agreed with the prosecution, noting that the case had lingered for nearly two years without arraignment due to the defendants’ conduct.

The court held that its jurisdiction in criminal matters can only be activated upon proper arraignment and that all pending applications were premature.

Consequently, the court granted the application and issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the 2nd and 3rd defendants.

The matter was adjourned to 29 April 2026 for arraignment.