A magistrate in Abuja has told the Nigeria Police to investigate a criminal complaint against Senator Francis Fadahunsi. He represents Osun East and made a troubling comment about the killing of Accord Party members before the Osun State governorship election on Saturday.
The magistrate, Farida Ibrahim, issued the directive in a letter dated 13 August. She asked the police to look into the complaint and report back within two weeks.
This order follows a complaint filed by Pelumi Olajengbesi against Fadahunsi. The complaint comes under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Section 89(5) of ACJA states that all private complaints made directly to a court must first go to the police for investigation before any court action takes place.
Olajengbesi, who filed the complaint as a private citizen, is a lawyer. He also serves as the spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Organisation, which supports Governor Ademola Adeleke’s bid for a second term.
This situation arises just two days before the 15 August Osun State election. In this election, Fadahunsi’s All Progressives Congress (APC) is up against the Accord Party, which is backing Governor Adeleke. There are 13 other political parties also taking part in the election.
The letter signed by Abdulraham Yusuf, the Registrar of the Magistrate Court, was sent to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Zone 7 Police Headquarters in Abuja.
The magistrate’s order is found in a letter titled, ‘Direct Criminal Complaint Between Pelumi Olajengbesi and Senator Francis Fadahunsi Brought Pursuant to Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.’
The letter, signed by Abdulraham Yusuf, comes from Magistrate Court 7, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, where Ms Ibrahim presides.
“I am directed by the presiding Magistrate II, His Worship Hon. Farida Ibrahim, sitting at Magistrate Court Wuse Zone 6, FCT Abuja, to write to your office to investigate the above mentioned case and report back within two weeks,” the letter states.
The court also included a copy of the criminal complaint for the police to review and take necessary action.
This news comes after a video of Fadahunsi went viral. In the video, he was seen making comments during an APC campaign in Ilesa ahead of the governorship election.
In the video, Fadahunsi, speaking Yoruba, told APC supporters to “kill” Accord Party members whenever they see them.
“It is animal that kills. Have you ever heard that APC killed anyone? Are those being killed not your people?” Fadahunsi said.
“So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, it is killing.”
His remarks caused a lot of uproar, raising safety concerns for voters and political supporters before the election.
Later, Fadahunsi claimed his comments were political and metaphorical. He insisted he was urging APC supporters to defeat the Accord Party at the polls.
During a live program on Channels Television, he said he did not mean actual killing.
“If you listen to me very well, I didn’t say it in English, so you cannot interpret it in English,” he explained. He said he meant supporters should “shut them down with their votes.”
He also connected his comments to previous attacks and killings involving his political party and community members. He said he had already reported these issues to the police.
The court’s order means the police must now look into the allegations and report their findings back to the court in two weeks.
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