A Magistrate Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a Peter Obi supporter, Obiajulu Ujah, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The citizen will be there for one month on observation to enable medical experts to determine the state of his mental health.
On March 31, Ujah caused a stir at the Abuja airport. While inside a Lagos-bound Ibom Air flight, he warned against the inauguration of President-elect Bola Tinubu.
Ujah is on trial for a criminal charge in a case marked CR/08/23 filed by the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Magistrate Abdulazeel Ismail Muhammed of the FCT Magistrate Court ruled on Thursday in Zuba Magisterial District, PRNigeria reports.
“Having scrutinized the medical report dated 17th day of April 2023 and signed by Dr Olusegun Shoyombo, a consultant psychiatrist, I am of the opinion that the defendant cannot defend himself,” he said.
Due to the requirement for urgent medical attention, Muhammed invoked the provision of Section 278(3) & (4) ACJA, 2015.
According to the section, where the court is not satisfied that the defendant is capable of his defence, the court shall adjourn the trial and shall remand the person for a month maximum.
The section further notes that the defendant detained shall be kept under observation by a medical officer during the period of his remand.
Before the expiration of that period, the medical officer shall give to the court his opinion in writing as to the state of mind of the person.
Where the officer is unable to form any definite opinion, he shall so certify to the court and ask for further remand of up to three months.
“From all these, the need to prevent the risk of jumping treatment and having found that Kuje Correctional Facility has the requisite medical personnel, I hereby order that the defendant be remanded for medical observation for one month,” Muhammed said.
The medical personnel shall accord the defendant the requisite medical treatment at the expense of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the magistrate added.
