Thugs invade court, injures ex-governor Goje

There was a mild drama yesterday at the Federal High Court, Gombe State, as suspected thugs stormed the court, disrupting proceedings and injuring a former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje in an ongoing trial involving N5billion.
Goje was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court had to cut short the proceeding and adjourned for further hearing owing to the fracas that ensued as suspected political thugs invaded the court premises.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirming the incident, said that the thugs also launched attack on the accused persons and others outside the court premises during which the second accused person, Aliyu El-Nafarty and one other person were seriously wounded.

He added: “In the melee, vehicles were vandalised including that of the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN.

The attack forced the presiding judge, Justice B. O. Quadri to adjourn to November 25, 2015.”

It was gathered that the witness, Shehu Mohammed Atiku, a former Clerk of the Gombe State House of Assembly and one of the three witnesses called by prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shitu, further told the court: “My Lord, the said resolution did not emanate from the Gombe State House of Assembly and I was not a signatory to it.”

Atiku, while testifying told the court that, “as the Admin Officer of the House, I chair management committee of the House, keep the record of House proceedings and maintain its records.”

Justice Quadir condemned the attack and directed both counsel to do a report on what happened which he promised to forward to the Chief Judge, Federal High Court for necessary action

Goje, alongside four other accused persons are being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and embezzlement of funds belonging to the state government.