The Bauchi State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, Ibrahim Kashim, has denied evading arrest after a bench warrant was issued against him by the Magistrate Court sitting in Bauchi.
Court Issues Bench Warrant
Chief Magistrate Abdulmumini Adamu had ordered a bench warrant for Kashim in the suit filed against him by Ahmed Sani and Hussaini Saraki on June 9, 2026, according to copies of the court documents cited by our correspondent.
Allegations of Defamation
The complainants alleged that the governorship candidate granted a television interview during which he stated that one of the lawyers had recently been accused of collecting money from a client without carrying out the agreed service. They further alleged that he also suggested that the lawyers might have been among those who informed government officials of certain information about him.
The complainants argued that the remarks were false, malicious and defamatory, insisting that they never informed any government officials about Kashim. They further maintained that the statements exposed them to public ridicule, damaged their professional reputations and caused members of the public to question their integrity and competence as legal practitioners.
Warrant Granted
According to the court order, the warrant was granted following an application by counsel to the complainants, S.U. Sarki Esq., seeking the arrest of the defendant to compel his appearance before the court.
Candidate's Response
In a response to the court order, however, Kashim clarified that the summons in question was served on Sunday, when he had already completed his travel arrangements to Abuja for an earlier scheduled important engagement. He added that immediately after learning about the case, he instructed his lawyer to appear before the court and seek a new date for his appearance, adding that, “it is therefore not right to interpret our absence as absconding or a refusal to accept the summons.”
He added, “God willing, we will appear in court at the scheduled time for the continuation of the trial, and we are confident that the truth will come out.”
