Court orders substituted service in defamation suit by Gen. Yahaya

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Number 2, Abuja has granted an order for substituted service of all originating court processes on the defendants in the defamation suit filed by a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya.

The judgment was delivered by the court in the case by General Yahaha, the Zarumman Sokoto, on March 17, 2026.

According to the court order, which was made available over the weekend, the Court Bailiff is mandated to serve the defendants through publication of the processes in a national newspaper circulating within the FCT.

The Bailiff was also instructed to paste the documents at the last known addresses of the defendants.

The defendants include retired Major General Danjma Hamisu Ali-Keffi, ARISE News, and Sahara Reporters.

When contacted, the lead counsel to General Yahaya, Mohammed Ndayako (SAN), confirmed that the court granted the request on March 17, 2026. 

Ndayako stated that the order became necessary due to the defendants’ repeated evasion of service by the Court Bailiff. 

In particular, he noted that Ali-Keffi declined to acknowledge service at his post-retirement residence in Kurudu, Abuja as recorded in his service records with the Nigerian Army.