Assault on Journalist: Court Grants Motion for Oral Evidence • Adjourns Case to April 24

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted the motion to call oral evidence in respect of a N500 million assault suit filed against the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, by the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on behalf of a Badagry-based journalist, Otunba Yomi Olomofe.

While granting the motion, Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, said that the oral evidence would clear some grey areas in the suit before him.

The judge, however, declined the applicant’s motion to file further evidence affidavit.

He then fixed Monday, April 24, 2017 for further hearing of the suit.

Justice Anka had on February 23, 2017 adjourned ruling on whether or not to allow oral evidence in the Assault case against the Customs and eight other defendants.

Also on the same day, he ordered the defendants in the case to file their claims accordingly on the pending applications in respect of the substantive suit to enable him deliver his ruling at yesterday’s proceedings.

Lagos NUJ had sued the Nigeria Customs Service and eight others for the violent battery and assault of Otunba Yomi Olomofe at Seme border Customs Office on June 25, 2015.

The defendants in the Assault suit filed by Lagos NUJ are: Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller-General of Customs, CG, Comptroller Muhammed Ndalate and Deputy Comptroller Emmanuel Nkemdirin.

Others are Assistant Comptroller Ibrahim Nuhu Turaki, Chief Sam Madubuike (Sam Ibiye), Suleimon Momoh (Basket), and two other men simply identified as Shehu and Elijah.