Lawyer demands NAF probe over alleged assault on court officials in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has been urged to investigate allegations that its personnel assaulted court officials and prevented them from enforcing a judgment in a property dispute in Jabi, Abuja.
A legal practitioner, Musa Yakubu, SAN, made the demand in a statement on Thursday.
The call followed a complaint dated September 28, 2026, by Professor Abubakar Abba Hassan, who alleged that armed Air Force personnel confronted officials of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and forced them to leave a property at No. 111, Plot 287, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi District, during an enforcement exercise on September 25.
The complaint was acknowledged by the Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force on September 29.
Yakubu explained that the incident followed a September 15 ruling by the District Court of the FCT, sitting in Jabi, which dismissed an application by Kryterion Limited to stay the execution of an earlier judgment granting Hassan possession of the property.
The dispute arose from a tenancy agreement between Hassan and the company, whose managing director is a retired colonel.
The case, registered as Suit No. CV/JIW/383/2025, concerned the recovery of possession of the Jabi property following the expiration of a tenancy agreement.
According to court documents, the agreement commenced on August 1, 2015, and expired on July 31, 2025.
Yakubu noted that Hassan approached the court to recover possession, arguing that the tenancy had expired and that the company’s continued occupation of the premises was unlawful.
After hearing the case, the District Court delivered judgment in Hassan’s favour on June 9, 2026.
The court declared that the tenancy had expired and ordered the company to vacate the property and hand over possession to the claimant.
Kryterion subsequently challenged the judgment and applied for a stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.
According to Yakubu, the District Court dismissed the company’s application to suspend enforcement of the judgment on September 15, 2026.
The ruling stated that the company had failed to establish the special or exceptional circumstances required to justify a stay of execution.
Yakubu said the alleged incident raised concerns about the authority of the courts and the enforcement of judicial decisions.
“If armed personnel can prevent court officials from carrying out their lawful duties, it risks sending a dangerous message that court orders can be ignored whenever a party has the backing or access of a powerful institution.
“That would weaken public confidence in the judiciary and raise concerns about unequal access to justice, particularly where ordinary citizens depend on the courts to protect their property and enforce their rights,” Yakubu stated.
Lawyer demands NAF probe over alleged assault on court officials in Abuja