Justice Benjamin Lawan Manji of Adamawa Statef High Court sitting in Yola has sent M. K. Tijjani, counsel to former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr. Hudu Ari Yunusa to Yola prison for contempt of court.
Tijjani was sent to prison for insolence and dishonourable acts during court’s proceedings on Thursday.
At the court’s resumed sitting, the lawyer refused to announce his apprearance when the case was called and turned his face in the other direction.
When the judge asked him to announce his appearance, he responded rudely by telling the judge that he is not a party to the case, stressing that he only held the brief for another counsel during the last sitting.
Irked by the act of outright disrespect and profane utterances against the court, the judge ordered him to unrobe and step into witness box and explain why the court will not commit him to contempt of court.
While in witness box, Tijjani exhibited same attitude which the court viewed as contempt and ordered that he should be taken to Yola correctional centre.
It could be recalled that during the court’s proceedings on the same case on the 23rd January, 2025, Tijjani, who announced his appearance for Hudu, attempted to record the proceedings with his mobile phone.
When the presiding judge discovered the lawyer’s move, he ordered him to refrain, but Tijjani dared the judge, saying nobody will stop him from recording the proceedings.
The counsel further lashed out at the judge, saying that no law that prohibits lawyers from recording court’s proceedings with their mobile phones and that nobody will stop him from doing it.
It took the intervention of the Counsel to the prosecution, Chief L. D. Nzadon, who called Tijjani to order and pleaded with the judge to exercise patience with the action of his colleague.
