By Ruby Rabiu

Ehindero was summoned to explain why he should not be committed to prison for his refusal to produce Jokolo in court despite an order asking him to produce the deposed emir from detention or the emir be taken to hospital for treatment.

Ehindero said, “My Lord, this matter is between the Nassarawa State Government and that of Kebbi State. We only provide security.”
Ehindero said that he did not intentionally disobey the order issued by the court but rather, it did not get to him.

The trial judge, Justice Stephen Adah, then asked him why he has refused to allow Jokolo to receive medical treatment at the National Hospital or produce him in court.

Ehindero replied that Jokolo had always been in the custody of the Nassarawa State Government.
According to him, police merely provides security and that a letter purportedly written by the Nassarawa State Government requesting the police to comply with the order of court to produce Jokolo in court did not get to him.

Ehindero told the court that if the Nassarawa state government claims that Jokolo was not in its custody, the court should issue a bench warrant to enable the police produce him.

Not satisfied with Ehindero’s explanations, the judge told him that the commissioner of police in Nassarawa state who was quite aware of all the orders made by the court, brought Jokolo to court last Tuesday after the court had risen only to return him to Nassarawa despite having knowledge of the fact that the case would resume the next day.

Replying, Ehindero said, “If the Nassarawa state Commissioner of Police did that, he is on his own because ’am not aware of all this.”
He asked for a short adjournment to consult with other respondents in the case and promised to ensure that the applicant as brought to court.
The court adjourned the case to Thursday June 1, to enable Ehindero sort out the situation.

Jokolo, a retired army officer, was the Emir of Gwandu in Kebbi state until June 3, 2005, when the Kebbi state government deposed and banished him to Obi, a remote village in Nassarawa state.
The Federal High Court, Abuja had ordered the federal government to produce the deposed Emir in court.

The high court judge, Justice Stephen Adah, who gave the order criticised the federal government for refusing to carryout his order directing that Jokolo be allowed to go to hospital treatment.
Jokolo swone to an affidavit claiming that he was terribly sick and needed to receive treatment at the National Hospital.
Justice Adah was angry after Jokolo’s lawyer told him that his earlier order had not be complied with.

The judge said, “Even if the plaintiff (Jokolo), is a murderer, since he is sick, he should be given the opportunity to receive medical attention in the hospital so that he could be fit to stand his trial.
“What distinguishes a civilised society from the uncivilised one is its respect for the rule of law and obedience to court orders.

“The order that the plaintiff should be allowed access to the National Hospital where he is receiving medical attention was given more than a month ago. Up till now, the plaintiff has not been relocated. Instead of obeying the order, you are coming here to speak language.

“Anyway, in the first instance, the plaintiff must be physically produced before this court willy-nilly on Thursday.”

The court which gave the order refused to entertain an application by the federal government challenging the competence of Jokolo’s suit to enforce his fundamental human rights, saying his order must be obeyed first before any progress could be made in the case.

Adah had last week threatened to deal with the Director of the State Security Service; the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General for refusing to allow Jokolo access to medical attention at the National Hospital, Abuja.