28th June, 2023
Mr Obiajulu Uja, a member of Obidient movement who was forcefully taken off Lagos -Abuja flight and arrested in April after he began shouting than the then President-Elect, Bola Tinubu must not be sworn into office will spend two more months in Kuje prison to undergo mental health treatment.
Magistrate Abdulazeez Ismail Muhammad of Zuba Magistrate Court, Federal Capital Territory, FCT ordered the remand of Uja for two more months after he concluded that the defendant was not mentally sound enough to undergo trial based on medical report before him.
The order followed report submitted to the court that the there has not been change in the mental health of Uja, according to PR Nigeria.
The obidient supporter, according to report tendered in the court during previous hearings, is mentally-unstable.
The Magistrate noted on Tuesday that the condition of the defendant has not improved and consequently, he was not fit for trial.
He therefore ruled that his application for bail which is pending cannot be heard.
He added that since only a sane person could stand trial, it would be unsafe for the court to deliver it ruling on the bail application at that stage, according to PR Nigeria.
The magistrate said: “Having equally found that the defendant need urgent further treatment and having released the medical observation report is not too conclusive on the peculiar mental challenge of the defendant and in the interest of justice the appropriate thing for the court to do is to further subject the defendant to further medical care at the expense of the federal government.
“Thus, I hereby refer the defendant back to the medical facility at Kuje Correctional Center for further urgent medical treatment for a period of two months at the expense of federal government of Nigeria pursuant to the provision of Section 278(4).
“The control of the corrections (medicals) is at liberty to engage experts from other medical facilities within the FCT. However, if the mental soundness of the defendant appropriates during this period and before the expiration of the period, the medical officer shall file a report forthwith to enable the court proceed with trial including delivering its ruling on the the defendant’s bail application,” Magistrate Abdulazeez Ismail Muhammad said.